(Idceejsiano 


sminiscences  a 


ompe ancrra 
&y  <Jane  flfarlin 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 
LOS  ANGELES 


M.   STEINERT.  {Frontispiece) 


REMINISCENCES 

OF 

MORRIS  STEINERT 


COMPILED  AND  ARRANGED 
BY 

JANE    MARLIN 


ILLUSTRATED 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S   SONS 

NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 

Gbe  Knickerbocker  press 
1900 


COPYRIGHT,  1900 

BY 
MORRIS  STEINERT 


Ube  fmfcfterbocfter  preea,  Hew  ffiorfc 


MUHC 
HMIAftY 


To  MY  BELOVED  WIFE 
CAROLINE  DREYFUSS  STEINERT 

WHO    STILL  LIVES 
ENSHRINED   IN   THE   HEARTS   OF   HER   HUSBAND 

AND   CHILDREN 
THESE    REMINISCENCES    ARE   DEDICATED 


1C9839S 


INTRODUCTION 

IN  presenting  this  volume  to  the  public  I  intrust 
its  success  to  the  fact  that  its  story  is  not  taken 
from  the  unlimited  and  fanciful  realms  of  fiction, 
but,  on  the  contrary,  from  the  practical  and  well- 
worn  paths  of  the  daily  life  that  guide  and  influ- 
ence the  human  family.  It  is  the  realistic  which 
forms  the  subject  of  my  venture,  the  unusual  events 
that  found  their  mainspring  in  my  birth,  sur- 
roundings, and  education,  and  which  should  lend  to 
this  little  book  the  charm,  if  any,  of  such  quaintness 
as  may  be  partially  found  in  the  fanciful.  Its  cen- 
tral force,  however,  lies  in  the  very  diminutiveness 
of  the  beginning,  and  the  moral  which  teaches  us 
to  magnify  to  advantage  the  small  forces  and  to 
utilize  them  to  a  grander  and  more  beneficent  pur- 
pose. It  also  aims  to  teach  us  how  to  accept  all 
influences,  whether  good  or  evil,  in  a  spirit  of 
humbleness,  and  to  train  our  hearts  and  minds  to 
enjoy  what  we  have,  and  to  be  happy  at  any  cost. 
The  results  obtained  in  following  this  philosophy  of 
life  will  harden  men  to  withstand  the  daily  encoun- 
ters, to  overcome,them,  and  to  derive  such  strength 
as  will  lead  them  to  broader  and  more  successful 
pursuits  in  life. 


vi  Introduction 

In  relating  my  experiences  during  a  life  which 
covers  nearly  threescore  and  ten  years,  and  which,  in 
view  of  the  aforesaid,  has  offered  many  interesting 
and  varied  incidents  I  have  tried  to  sift  out  the  best 
of  them  for  the  benefit  of  my  readers. 

There  is  also  an  additional  interest  connected  with 
my  lines  which  lies  in  and  is  taken  from  a  hidden 
world  and  lives  in  music.  My  early  love  for  the 
divine  art  has  been  my  talisman  through  all  of  my 
struggles  and  successes.  The  power  of  music,  its 
wholesome  influence,  and  the  charm  which  it  lends  to 
the  human  heart,  were  early  recognized  by  me,  and 
whatever  of  the  material  surrounded  me,  it  has  al- 
ways been  subject  to  music's  infallible  truth.  With- 
out this  spiritual  guidance  my  life  would  have  been 
wretched,  while  on  the  contrary  it  has  been  to  me 
an  Eden.  That  is  the  reason  why  my  leit  motif 
in  this  book  is  to  be  found  in  music,  and  that  all 
the  things  which  radiate  from  it  are  but  so  many 
satellites  to  its  luminous  power. 

This  volume  would  never  have  made  its  appear- 
ance but  for  the  urgent  solicitation  of  my  esteemed 
friend,  Mrs.  Marlin,  to  whom  I  have  dictated  these 
reminiscences,  and  who  has  compiled  and  arranged 
them  in  their  present  form. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  I 

Scheinfeld — Coblenz — Bad-Ems — Dazian — Kleinschrod  .         .         i 

CHAPTER  II 

Switzerland — Berlin — Journey  by  Sleigh  into   Russia — Chavli 

—Riga 23 

v 

CHAPTER  III 
Dorpat — Reval — Pleskov — A  Short  Trip  to  Finland         .         .       47 

CHAPTER  IV 

St.  Petersburg — Return  to  Coblenz — A  Few  Weeks  in  France 
—  A  Voyage  on  the  Sailing  Vessel  Jenny  Lind  —  To 
America  —  Arrival  in  New  York  City  —  Trip  on  Foot 
through  Eastern  New  York  State — Pittsfield  and  Lenox  .  70 

CHAPTER  V 

Sharon  Springs,  New  York  —  Engagement  with  Mario-Grisi 
Opera  Company,  Castle  Garden,  New  York  City — Buckley 
Serenaders 94 

CHAPTER  VI 

Business    with    Mr.    Wolf  —  Robbery  —  Illness  —  Tour    with 

Buckley  Serenaders — Music  Club  in  Savannah,  Georgia    .     109 


viii  Contents 

CHAPTER  VII 

PAGE 

Teacher  of  Music  in  Thomasville,  Georgia — Visit  to  Colonel 
Bailey's  Plantation — Tallahassee — Athens,  Georgia — War 
of  the  Rebellion 125 

CHAPTER  VIII 

Wretched  Days  in  New  York  City — New  Haven — Formation 

of  Steinert's  Orchestra 152 

CHAPTER  IX 
Business 169 

CHAPTER  X 

Return  to  Scheinfeld  —  Collecting  Old  Instruments — Death- 
Violin — First  Lecture  Tour  in  America  ....  191 

CHAPTER  XI 

Vienna — Finding  of  Hass  Harpsichord — Purchase  of  Ruckers's 
Double  Spinet — Chicago  World's  Fair — Sharon  Springs 
— Lecture  in  Springfield,  Massachusetts  .  .  .  .212 

CHAPTER   XII 
Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte 230 

CHAPTER  XIII 
Steinertone 251 

IN  MEMORIAM 257 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

M.  STEINERT.          .....          Frontispiece 

HAUPT    STRASSE   VON    SCHEINFELD  ....  4 

STREET    LEADING    TO    CASTLE    SCHWARZENBERG         ;  6 

TOWER   OF    THE   STADT    MUSIKUS     .  .  .  .          l6 

SQUARE    PIANOFORTE.       FOUR    OCTAVES  ...          32 
[Once  in  the  possession  of  the  Princess  of  Turn  and 
Taxis  in  Regensburg.] 

VERTICAL  CONCERT   GRAND.     SIX    OCTAVES       .  .          48 

[Made  by  C.  Mttller,  Vienna,  about  1780.] 

SQUARE    PIANO.       SIX    OCTAVES          ....         90 
[Made  by  A.  Babcock,  1820.] 

ENGLISH    HARPSICHORD.        TWO    KEYBOARDS.        FIVE 

OCTAVES 112 

[Made  by  Jacobus  Kirkman,  1769.] 

VERTICAL    GRAND.       SIX    OCTAVES  ....       122 
[Made  by  Andre  Stein,  1779.] 

JOSEPH  HAYDN'S  CONCERT  GRAND         .         .         .     160 

VIOLONCELLO l68 

[Made  by  George  Gemiinder.] 

ENGLISH    SPINET.       FIVE   OCTAVES    ....       174 
[Made  by  Johannes  Hitchcock,  1750.] 

UPRIGHT    HAMMER-CLAVIER.      FOUR    AND  ONE  HALF 

OCTAVES.      1780 184 


x  Illustrations 


CLAVICHORD.       FIVE     AND    ONE    FOURTH     OCTAVES. 

"  UNGEBUNDEN  "      .  ...        ipo 

[Made  by  Michael  Voit  &  Son.J 

SCHEINFELD    FROM    THE   DISTANCE  ....       192 
M.    STEINERT    AT    CLAVICHORD  .  .  .  .196 

SPINET.       THREE    AND    THREE    FOURTHS   OCTAVES    .       2OO 
[Made  by  Andreas  Ruckers,  1620.] 

SCHLAFHAUSER   AND    HIS   HORSES     ....  206 

CASTLE   SCHWARZENBERG          .            .                                      .  2C>8 

RETURN    FROM    CLAVIER    HUNT          ....  208 

LETTER  FROM  PRINCESS  PAULINE  VON  METTERNICH.  212 

HASS   HARPSICHORD 2l8 

THE     SCIENTIFIC      COMMISSION     OF      THE     INTERNA- 
TIONAL      EXHIBITION      OF      MUSIC      AND      THE 

DRAMA     IN     VIENNA,      1892          ....  22O 

DOUBLE     SPINET     MADE     BY      HANS     RUCKERS     THE 

ELDER       .  ...  .  .  .  .222 

A.    J.    HIPKINS   AT    THE    HARPSICHORD       .            .            .  230 

DECORATED    CONCERT    GRAND  ....       244 

[Made  by  Anton  Walter  in  Vienna,  about  1780.] 

ACTION   OF   GRAND   PIANO 252 

[Built  after  the  model  of  Johann  Andreas  Stein  of 
Augsburg.  A  facsimile  of  Mozart's  Grand  at 
the  Mozarteum,  Salzburg.  Five  octaves.  Two 
knee-pedals.] 

MRS.    CAROLINA   DREYFUSS  STEINERT        .  .       258 


REMINISCENCES 


REMINISCENCES 


CHAPTER  I 

Scheinfeld — Coblenz — Bad-Ems — Dazian — Kleinschrod 

IN  the  little  town  called  Scheinfeld,  which  is  situ- 
ated in  the  Kingdom  of  Bavaria,  Germany,  I  am 
told  that  I  was  born  on  the  9th  of  March,  1831.  I 
have  not  yet  found  out  whether  it  was  a  mild  or 
stormy  day  when  my  good  mother  gave  me  birth, 
nor  have  I  ever  inquired  concerning  the  history  of 
that  day,  as  to  whether  there  was  anything  impor- 
tant connected  with  the  incident,  but  judging  from 
the  phlegmatic  nature  of  the  townfolk,  as  shown  by 
the  slow  state  of  the  few  people  who  make  up  the 
community  of  Scheinfeld,  it  must  have  been  quite 
an  event.  My  impression  is  also  based  upon  the 
fact  that,  after  an  absence  of  thirty-five  years  from 
my  snug  little  nest,  when  I  again  entered  the  town 
and  looked  about  I  found  the  line  of  houses  in  an 
undisturbed  condition,  holding  full  sway  upon  the 
land  upon  which  they  had  been  built  some  three 
hundred  years  before,  their  weather-worn  aspect 


2  Reminiscences 

bespeaking  the  solid  workmanship  which  their  build- 
ers had  put  into  them  when  they  entered  upon  their 
earthly  mission.  The  crude  architecture  and  the 
mediaeval  character  given  them  being  strongly  mani- 
fest. I  am  forced,  however,  to  confess  that  the 
spirit  of  time  had  made  itself  felt  in  the  peaceful 
town,  for  I  was  told — and  there  was  a  ring  of  genu- 
ine pride  in  the  statement — that  during  the  period 
of  my  absence  two  new  houses  had  been  erected. 

I  do  not  know — but  I  wish  with  all  my  heart  that 
I  did — who  the  early  settlers  of  my  beloved  birth- 
place were;  how  they  lived,  loved,  prospered,  and 
died.  That  they  were  a  strong,  hardy  race  I  am 
sure,  for  their  offspring  seem  proof  against  Father 
Time,  and  I  was  astonished  when  I  met  men  still 
enjoying  life  who  were  actually  looked  upon  as  long 
past  their  prime  when  I  left  Scheinfeld  thirty-five 
years  before,  and  who  manifested  scarcely  any  sur- 
prise at  seeing  me  again,  extending  the  hand  of 
good-fellowship,  and  taking  up  the  thread  of  con- 
versation as  if  we  had  parted  but  yesterday.  I 
really  began  to  philosophize  a  little  as  I  walked 
among  them  and  compared  their  fresh,  healthy 
faces,  their  excellent  appetite  as  shown  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  their  simple  meal,  their  genuine  pleasure 
over  a  stein  of  good  Bavarian  beer,  which  was  to 
their  minds  unequalled  even  by  the  heavenly  am- 
brosia and  nectar  of  the  gods.  The  comparison 
became  a  serious  one  when  I  recalled  the  faces  of 
the  people  in  the  large  cities  where  I  had  lived,  and 
I  concluded  that  perhaps,  after  all,  it  were  better  to 
go  back  to  the  humble  town  where  the  pure  atmos- 
phere and  rather  uneventful  pursuits  of  life  favored 


Early  Days  3 

health  and  longevity,  and  I  could  but  recall  Gray's 
\ines : 

"  To  hie  him  home,  at  evening's  close, 
To  sweet  repast  and  calm  repose. 
From  toil  he  wins  his  spirits  light, 
From  busy  day  the  peaceful  night  ; 
Rich,  from  the  very  want  of  wealth, 
In  heaven's  best  treasures,  peace  and  health." 

The  quaint  and  picturesque  town  must  have 
played  an  important  part  in  the  centuries  past,  for 
a  high,  continuous  wall  and  moat  still  surround  the 
place,  while,  from  the  wall,  rise  at  equal  distances 
three  strong  watch-towers,  guarding  the  town  like 
sentinels,  each  provided  with  big  doors  which  used 
to  be  closed  and  locked  every  night  at  nine  o'clock 
to  keep  all  intruders  out.  In  one  of  the  towers 
there  lives  to-day  the  Stadt  Musikus — town  musician 
— whose  duty  it  is  to  play  at  high  mass  every  Sunday 
with  his  orchestra,  and  also  to  play  chorals  upon 
brass  instruments  at  twelve  o'clock  noon,  to  call  in 
the  reapers  from  the  fields  for  their  midday  meal, 
and  in  the  evening  to  play  an  Ave  Maria,  summon- 
ing the  faithful  to  prayer.  In  the  second  tower 
there  formerly  dwelt  the  herdsman  of  the  town, 
whose  business  it  was  to  look  after  all  of  the  cows, 
while  in  the  third  tower  resided  the  Gdnshirt  of  the 
ducks  and  chickens. 

There  still  exists  the  Nachtwdchter,  with  his  old 
lantern  and  horn,  who  calls  out  the  hours  of  the  night 
in  a  quaint  little  rhyme,  after  which  he  blows  his 
horn.  Near  the  market-place  is  the  inn,  a  hostelry 
that  has  in  its  history  sheltered  many  a  distinguished 


4  Reminiscences 

traveller,  its  old  sign,  showing  a  prancing  white  horse 
with  the  inscription  Das  Weisse  Ross, — The  White 
Horse, — creaking  as  it  sways  to  and  fro  in  the  wind ; 
while  in  the  centre  of  the  town  is  the  Catholic 
Church,  and  the  ringing  of  its  matin  bell  every 
morning  at  four  o'clock  awakens  the  faithful  not 
only  to  prayer  but  to  work,  for  in  Scheinfeld  the 
townfolk  are  up  with  the  lark;  and  at  seven  its 
melodious  pealing  calls  the  dwellers  to  the  church 
for  worship. 

There  is  still  standing,  quite  unchanged  by  time, 
the  Rathhaus  where  justice  is  meted  out  to  the 
wrong-doer  with  as  much  severity  as  in  olden  times, 
— a  picturesque  old  building  that  has  witnessed 
many  comings  and  goings.  Every  morning  in  the 
market-place  may  be  found  a  display  of  fresh  vege- 
tables offered  for  sale  to  the  housekeepers, — an 
incident  which  is  really  the  most  exciting  one  of 
the  whole  day. 

There  are  seven  different  establishments  where 
beer  is  brewed  and  sold  directly  from  the  fass — 
and  such  beer  as  it  is !  It  may  be  that  it,  too,  adds 
to  the  longevity,  but  perish  the  thought!  Then 
there  is  the  schoolhouse,  literally  divided  in  two,  one 
side  for  the  large  and  the  other  for  the  small  children ; 
and,  close  by,  the  dilapidated  and  dingy  hall  where 
stands  the  antiquated  fire-engine,  for  which  water 
is  supplied  from  the  town  pump,  which  pump  also 
furnishes  water  for  the  entire  community,  and  which 
is  one  of  the  centres  of  gossip  for  the  female  portion 
of  the  neighborhood.  Here  the  young  women 
meet  and,  as  they  fill  their  buckets  with  water,  ex- 
change the  latest  bit  of  news,  the  choicest  bit  of 


Early  Days  5 

scandal.  Back  of  the  town  rises  the  wooded  hill 
crowned  by  the  castle  of  Schwarzenberg,  one  of  the 
ninety-nine  castles  owned  by  the  Prince  of  Schwar- 
zenberg, and  connected  with  it  is  a  monastery  of 
Capuchin  monks  and  friars.  The  castle,  which  is 
as  strongly  fortified  and  as  impregnable  as  a  fortress, 
has  room  enough  for  a  whole  regiment  of  soldiers, 
and  houses  for  all  of  the  officials  whose  business  it 
is  to  care  for  the  thousands  of  acres  belonging  to 
the  vast  estate,  a  whole  community  by  itself,  having 
a  school  of  a  higher  grade  than  the  one  in  the  town. 
So  much  for  a  brief  description  of  the  little  town  of 
Scheinfeld,  for  whose  quiet,  restful  atmosphere  I 
daily  sigh,  and  where  I  hope  I  may  one  day  sleep 
beside  my  sainted  mother.  Scheinfeld — 

"  Where  Resignation  gently  slopes  away, 
And  all  our  prospects  brightening  to  the  last, 
Our  heaven  commences  ere  the  world  be  past." 

I  was  born  of  poor  parents,  and  the  limitations  of 
their  purse  were  in  keeping  with  the  early  schooling 
which  I  obtained.  When  seven  years  old  I  was  sent  to 
the  town  school,  and,  shortly  after,  my  father  died, 
leaving  my  mother  with  little  in  the  way  of  worldly 
possessions,  but  with  a  stout  heart  and  indomitable 
courage,  and  by  rigid  economy  I  remained  at  school 
until  my  twelfth  year.  I  cannot  say  that  my  mental 
training  consisted  of  anything  more  than  learning 
how  to  read,  write,  and  spell,  with  perhaps  a  few 
of  the  primary  principles  of  arithmetic,  for  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  spent  in  school  was  devoted 
to  studying  the  catechism  and  tenets  of  faith  as  pre- 
scribed by  the  Church.  We  were  taught  to  rise  en 


6  Reminiscences 

masse  when  the  priest  entered  the  schoolroom  and 
to  cry  out  as  a  sort  of  welcome,  "  Praise  be  to  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

While  very  young  I  found  inherent  within  me  a 
great  love  for  music  and  a  longing  to  enter  its  fasci- 
nating realm,  and  as  my  family  were  musically 
inclined  my  yearning  for  this  art  and  my  desire  to 
master  it  found  a  ready  response,  and  my  brother 
Louis,  who  is  thirteen  years  older,  noticing  my  in- 
clination, immediately  engaged  the  services  of  the 
old  cantor,  who  was  the  organist  of  the  church,  to 
teach  me  the  rudiments  of  clavier-playing,  for  there 
was  not  at  that  time  a  pianoforte  in  all  Scheinfeld, 
but  the  cantor  owned  a  clavichord  upon  which  he 
gave  me  lessons.  In  teaching  me  he  pursued  a  very 
peculiar  method.  He  would  call  me  into  his  little 
room  where  the  clavichord  stood,  and,  without 
bothering  to  teach  me  the  printed  notes,  made  me 
acquainted  with  the  keyboard,  teaching  me  just 
how  to  strike  single  notes  and  later  on  how  to  form 
chords.  After  I  had  mastered  this  and  had  some 
command  over  the  keyboard,  he  would  sit  down  and 
play  some  easy  tune  for  me,  requesting  me  to  re- 
member it,  and,  after  repeating  the  air  several  times, 
I  was  expected  to  sit  down  and  play  it  correctly  for 
him,  which,  I  assure  you,  I  was  careful  to  do,  be- 
.  cause,  if  I  failed  to  catch  and  play  it  according  to 
his  instructions  he  would  give  me  a  good  spanking. 
Often  he  would  get  up  from  the  clavichord,  saying: 
"  I  am  going  out  for  a  little  while,  Moritz,  and  I 
shall  expect  you  to  play  the  tune  perfectly  when  I 
return. "  He  would  take  his  hat,  lock  the  door  after 
him,  and  go  over  to  the  beer-keller  across  the  street, 


Early  Days  7 

and  after  a  few  steins  of  cool  Bavarian  beer  come 
.back,  saying,  as  he  unlocked  and  opened  the  door, 
"  Now,  Moritz,  I  am  ready;  let  us  have  the  tune," 
and  I,  having,  as  I  said  before,  strong  reasons  for 
complying  with  his  request,  usually  managed  to  play 
the  little  tune  correctly.  Being  now  fortified  in  my 
musical  knowledge  by  the  severity  of  the  old  cantor's 
instructions,  I  felt  equal  to  availing  myself  of  the 
tutoring  of  the  Stadt  Musikus,  who  would  teach  me 
the  flute  and  the  violin,  and  he  appeared  to  be  a  more 
modern  teacher  than  "the  old  cantor,  for  I  had  to 
learn  how  to  read  music.  My  instruction  upon  the 
guitar,  for  I  also  learned  to  play  upon  that  instru- 
ment, I  received  from  the  chimney-sweep  of  the 
town,  who  was  considered  not  only  an  artist  in 
sweeping  chimneys  but  also  in  sweeping  his  hands 
across  the  strings  of  the  guitar.  I  owe  him  much 
for  the  leniency  he  showed  me  in  the  execution  of 
his  art.  It  is  to  be  presumed  that  I  felt  myself 
by  this  time  quite  an  expert  in  music,  with  all  the 
advantages  derived  from  my  various  teachers,  and  I 
went  into  the  further  study  of  it  with  my  heart  and 
soul.  I  must  state  here  that  Wagner's  music  was 
not  then  known,  and  Beethoven's  compositions  only 
known  to  us  by  name,  otherwise  I  might  have  had  a 
somewhat  different  opinion  of  my  musical  ability. 

As  I  have  already  mentioned,  there  was  an  excel- 
lent school  up  at  the  castle  on  the  hill,  and  the 
schoolmaster,  by  name  Herr  Schiitz,  was  considered 
a  fine  musician,  and,  as  he  had  a  grand  pianoforte, 
my  brother  thought  it  would  be  an  excellent  oppor- 
tunity for  me  to  study  music  with  him  and  learn  the 
pianoforte.  His  price,  fortunately,  was  low, — only 


8  Reminiscences 

six  kreutzers;  about  three  cents — and  in  keeping 
with  my  brother's  pocket-book.  Schiitz  was  really 
a  good  teacher,  and  taught  me  by  means  of  an  in- 
struction book,  and  in  order  to  vary  the  monotony 
of  scale-playing,  of  which  he  was  most  rigid,  he  used 
to  write  down  little  melodies  for  me,  composing 
them  during  the  lesson,  which,  as  may  be  judged,  I 
found  an  exceedingly  pleasant  diversion.  There 
was  only  one  unpleasant  circumstance  connected 
with  my  study  with  Herr  Schiitz,  and  that  was  that 
I  must  literally  race  up  the  hill  to  the  castle  after 
school,  for  my  lesson  was  from  three  to  four  o'clock, 
and  as  I  was  not  permitted  to  leave  school  one 
minute  before  the  closing  time,  which  was  three,  I 
had  to  run  the  entire  distance,  and  I  usually  ar- 
rived much  out  of  breath,  but  having  covered  the 
ground  in  remarkably  quick  time.  One  day  when 
I  was  at  my  lesson — for  Schiitz  was  not  only  the 
schoolmaster  but  also  the  musical  director  of  the 
monastery  church — Padre  Quartian  happened  in 
and,  after  listening  to  my  playing,  complimented 
me  and  told  Schiitz  that  I  had  great  ability.  As 
Padre  Quartian  was  a  fine  musician  himself,  I  was 
delighted  with  what  he  said,  but  more  so  when  at 
the  next  lesson  he  again  came  in  and  offered  to  teach 
me  ecclesiastical  music  such  as  is  used  in  the  Catho- 
lic Church.  In  thus  getting  his  permission  to  sing 
at  mass,  I  became  acquainted  with  the  monastic 
style  of  music,  which  differs  greatly  from  the  ordin- 
ary service  of  the  Church.  The  opportunities  which 
I  enjoyed  in  having  such  musical  advantages,  and  in 
listening  to  the  organ-playing  of  the  Padre,  as  well 
as  the  religious  spirit  that  was  so  much  a  part  of  the 


Early  Days  9 

good  man,  will  ever  remain  fresh  in  my  memory.  The 
musical  services  given  by  the  orchestra,  led  by  our 
Stadt  Musikus,  differed  greatly  from  their  usual  music 
which  they  furnished  for  the  dances  of  the  peasantry. 
When  twelve  years  of  age  I  was  hired  out  to  my 
brother-in-law,  who  was  by  trade  an  optician,  and 
lived  at  Coblenz-on-the-Rhine.  Great  changes  came 
to  me  when  I  reached  that  city,  then  boasting  of  but 
twenty  thousand  inhabitants,  but  which  appeared 
to  me,  by  reason  of  its  size,  to  be  one  of  the  seven 
wonders  of  the  world.  My  employer  and  master 
owned  and  managed  a  small  factory  where  he  made 
spectacles,  microscopes,  and  telescopes.  My  occupa- 
tion consisted,  aside  from  grinding  glasses, — holding 
the  glass  in  one  hand  and  turning  the  wheel  with  the 
other, — in  making  the  fire  in  the  stoves,  carrying 
the  water,  running  errands,  and,  as  I  belonged  to  the 
family  and  boarded  with  them,  my  spare  hours  were 
given  over  to  caring  for  my  employer's  children, 
taking  them  for  walks,  and  looking  after  them  gen- 
erally. In  my  strolls  with  the  little  ones  I  always 
took  advantage  of  the  daily  parade  where  I  heard 
the  regiment  band,  which  was  a  great  treat  to  the 
country  boy  from  Scheinfeld  who  had  never  in  his 
short  life  listened  to  a  good  band.  I  must  have 
given  satisfaction  to  my  brother-in-law  as  apprentice 
and  to  my  sister  Babetta  as  nursemaid,  for  one  day 
she  said  to  me:  "  Moritz,  you  are  a  good  boy,  and 
as  your  birthday  is  close  at  hand  I  have  a  great  treat 
in  store  for  you.  Here  are  five  silver  groschen ;  go 
buy  yourself  a  ticket  which  will  admit  you  to  the 
top  gallery  of  the  opera-house,  where  you  will  hear 
Auber's  great  opera,  La  Muette  de  Portici." 


io  Reminiscences 

This  act  of  generosity  on  the  part  of  my  good 
sister  I  have  never  forgotten,  because  it  was  the  first 
time  I  beheld  the  interior  of  an  opera-house  and 
heard  an  orchestra  and  singers  together.  The  effect 
upon  me  was  simply  astounding  when  the  musicians 
struck  the  first  chord  of  that  magnificent  overture ; 
ajid  when  I  heard  tfye  versified  tone-coloring  of  that 
orchestra,  which  came  from  instruments  which  I  had 
never  seen  nor  heard  before,  I  was  transformed  and 
taken  away  from  myself,  transported  for  the  time  to 
another  sphere.  The  early  love  for  the  divine  art 
of  music  which  had  been  given  me  from  above,  and 
which  had  before  lain  dormant,  awoke  within  me 
and  filled  me  with  the  most  profound  reverence  and 
respect,  and  I  felt,  for  the  first  time,  what  a  beau- 
tiful, though  hidden,  world  lay  before  me  which 
would  henceforth  unfold  itself  to  my  imagination. 
But  when  the  curtain  rose  and  I  saw  the  dramatic 
action  which  was  resting  upon  the  wings  of  music; 
when  the  powerful  chorus  burst  forth  into  song,  and 
the  action  of  the  players  spoke  to  my  intellect ;  when 
the  orchestra  also  spoke  in  words  of  tone, — when 
the  voice  of  the  soloist  poured  forth  its  pathetic  and 
emotional  lyrics;  then  I  felt  that  this  was  indeed  a 
happy  day,  and  one  of  great  rejoicing  within  my 
young  heart  that  I  had  been  spared  to  enter  the 
enchanted  realm  of  music.  The  laborious  duties  I 
had  been  forced  to  undergo,  the  poverty,  the  domes- 
tic hardships,  were  for  the  time  forgotten,  over- 
balanced by  the  knowledge  that  I  had  at  last  found 
a  place  that  was  so  congenial  to  my  better  self  as 
to  make  heaven  seem  close  at  hand,  and  from  that 
hour  I  really  enjoyed  and  loved  my  stay  at  Coblenz, 


Early  Days  11 

and  would  have  been  perfectly  happy  had  my 
-education,  even  in  the  elementary  branches,  been 
allowed  to  go  on. 

Day  by  day  the  thought  that  I  was  very  ignorant 
came  to  me  with  almost  overwhelming  force,  for  I 
could  only  read,  write,  and  spell,  and  do  the  simplest 
sums  in  arithmetic.  As  I  had  no  money,  for  it  was 
impossible  to  save  anything  from  the  pittance  I  re- 
ceived for  my  work,  I  one  day  got  command  of  my 
courage  and  begged  my  sister  to  help  me  in  this 
direction.  I  found  her  more  than  ready  to  grant 
my  request,  and  a  teacher  was  immediately  pro- 
cured, and  I  began  to  study  with  him.  He  taught 
me  the  higher  branch  of  arithmetic,  the  elements  of 
mercantile  clerical  work,  such  as  bookkeeping,  etc., 
and  also  a  little  French ;  and  I  felt  that  my  cup  of 
joy  was  full  to  the  brim  when  my  employer  sent  me 
to  Bad-Ems  where  I  conducted  an  optical  establish- 
ment for  him,  in  which  I  was  very  successful,  making 
money  from  the  start.  Being  only  fifteen  years  old, 
all  alone,  and  master,  of  my  time,  I  took  advantage 
of  it  by  leaving  my  shop  to  the  care  of  my  neighbors 
for  an  hour  morning  and  afternoon,  while  I  ran  over 
to  the  Curpark  to  hear  the  orchestra,  a  band  of 
twelve  musicians  from  Bohemia,  who  played  mag- 
nificently. I  am  afraid  that  my  brother-in-law  lost 
many  sales  by  my  being  away  from  the  little  shop, 
but  I  am  sure  that  I  gained  a  great  deal  musically, 
for  it  was  at  Ems  that,  encouraged  by  members  of 
this  band,  I  wrote  a  number  of  pieces  for  orchestra, 
which  they  played  in  the  Curpark. 

Ems  is  a  great  watering-place,  and  the  nobility 
from  all  over  Europe  come  there  yearly  for  the 


12  Reminiscences 

baths,  and,  in  consequence,  artists  of  renown  also 
gather  there  for  rest  or  to  fill  engagements.  It  was 
at  Ems  that  I  met  Henrietta  Sontag  and  Jenny 
Lind.  A  little  story  concerning  this  latter  famous 
cantatrice  seems  not  amiss  in  this  sketch,  so  I  will 
recall  it. 

In  the  next  booth  to  me  there  was  a  Tyrolian  sell- 
ing gloves.  I  think  he  was  the  handsomest  specimen 
of  the  genus  man  that  I  ever  looked  upon.  He  was 
unusually  tall,  large,  and  commanding,  and  in  his 
picturesque  dress — for  he  wore  the  bright  and  at- 
tractive costume  of  the  Tyrol — he  was  a  perfect 
Apollo.  One  day  Jenny  Lind  came  to  the  little 
booth  for  gloves,  and  after  trying  on  several  she  re- 
quested him  to  accompany  her  to  her  hotel,  bringing 
along  his  wares  that  she  might  make  her  selection 
there.  Willingly  he  went,  although  he  did  not 
know  who  his  fair  customer  was.  After  buying  a 
dozen  pairs  of  gloves,  Jenny  Lind  said,  "  I  have 
heard  that  you  people  of  the  Tyrol  are  great  singers ; 
perhaps  you  will  sing  for  me?"  The  Tyrolian, 
who  was  really  a  fine  warbler,  and  greatly  pleased 
with  his  singing,  readily  consented,  and  warbled 
away  for  the  queen  of  song  for  half  an  hour.  .  As 
he  was  leaving,  and  wishing  not  to  be  rude,  he  said, 
pointing  to  the  piano,  "  Perhaps  you  will  sing  for 
me."  The  beautiful  woman  smiled,  and  seating 
herself  at  the  piano  sang  for  him  several  of  her 
bird  songs,  to  hear  which  people  all  over  the  world 
paid  fabulous  prices.  As  she  finished  and  turned 
around  on  the  stool,  expecting  the  most  florid  com- 
pliments, the  Tyrolian  stood  silently  before  her. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  my  singing  ? ' '  questioned 


Early  Days  13 

Jenny  Lind.  "  Well,"  speaking  slowly,  "  with  the 
exception  of  my  sister,  I  think  it  's  the  finest  I  ever 
heard."  Daily  did  Laimbeck  visit  Jenny  Lind,  and 
daily  did  he  warble  for  her  and  she  for  him,  until 
the  gossips  of  Ems  wove  a  pretty  romance  out  of 
their  friendship  and  intimacy.  While  at  Ems  that 
season  Jenny  Lind  sang  for  Queen  Victoria,  then  a 
young  woman,  the  guest  of  Frederick  William  IV. 
at  Stolzenfels.  I  was  especially  interested  in  this 
private  concert,  for  the  flute  player  of  the  orchestra 
chosen  to  accompany  her  was  a  friend  of  mine,  and 
together,  we  played  duets  after  business  hours.  He 
was  a  very  pompous,  bombastic  fellow,  with  a  high 
idea  of  his  ability  as  a  musician,  and,  in  speaking  of 
the  coming  event,  said,  "  I  don't  want  to  go  up  to 
Stolzenfels  and  play  the  flute  with  this  Jenny  Lind; 
she  probably  can't  sing  true — none  of  those  artists 
ever  do — and  it  is  terrible  to  have  them  always  off 
the  key."  Well,  he  went  across  to  the  hotel  and 
presently  I  heard  him  begin  his  obligate.  He 
played  but  a  few  measures,  then  there  was  a  lull  in 
the  music,  and  so  on  for  nearly  an  hour — a  little 
music,  then  a  long  rest.  Finally  he  came  back 
much  crestfallen,  his  conceit  quite  taken  out  of  him. 
'  Do  you  know,  Moritz,"  he  said,  "  that  is  a  great 
singer  ?  Why,  I  began  an  obligate  for  her,  and 
after  I  had  played  but  a  few  bars  she  stopped  me, 
saying,  '  You  do  not  play  true,'  and  so  on  during 
the  rehearsal,  until  I  believe  that  I  don't  know  any- 
thing about  the  flute  after  all,  and  that  I  am  the  one 
who  plays  out  of  tune."  Happy  am  I  to  state 
that  my  friend  played  for  her,  and  the  concert  at 
Stolzenfels  was  a  great  success. 


H  Reminiscences 

For  three  seasons  I  remained  at  Ems,  and  became 
a  good  salesman  of  optical  goods.  I  could  fit  spec- 
tacles to  the  blind  and  those  who  could  not  see,  and 
I  made  for  myself  quite  a  reputation.  The  knowl- 
edge gained  in  showing  microscopes  and  telescopes 
to  scientific  men,  and  their  warm  words  of  praise 
made  me  feel  my  importance;  and  after  carefully 
thinking  the  matter  over  I  decided  that  I  was  quite 
old  and  knew  enough  to  go  in  business  for  myself, 
for  I  was  nearly  eighteen,  so  I  returned  to  Coblenz 
and  told  my  employer  that  I  had  resolved  to  strike 
out  for  myself,  which  I  did.  As  I  had  no  money  I 
went  back  home — Scheinfeld — and  told  my  good 
brother  Louis  of  my  plan,  and  asked  him  to  help 
me.  He  thought  well  of  my  suggestion,  and  bought 
for  me  a  small  line  of  optical  instruments,  and  I 
immediately  started  out  for  a  tour  through  Bavaria 
and  Saxony.  Unfortunately  for  me,  the  revolution 
of  1848  broke  out  at  that  time  and  threw  all  Ger- 
many into  a  state  of  great  excitement.  There  was  a 
general  depression  in  business  everywhere,  and  as  I 
was  especially  unfortunate  in  visiting  places  where 
daily  riots  occurred  and  there  was  no  money  to 
spare,  my  trip  was  not  a  financial  success,  and  I  re- 
turned to  Scheinfeld  greatly  humbled.  In  one  of 
the  places  which  I  visited  with  my  optical  goods  I 
heard  a  great  violoncello  player  named  Kellerman, 
and  I  fell  in  love  with  the  tone  of  his  instrument 
and  decided  to  learn  it  at  my  first  opportunity. 

Upon  reaching  Scheinfeld,  and  having  time  to 
spare,  I  called  upon  the  old  Stadt  Musikus,  who  was 
considered  an  expert  in  the  playing  of  all  instru- 
ments, as  I  did  not  have  money  enough  to  go  to  some 


Early  Days  15 

city  and  study  with  a  competent  teacher,  and,  rely- 
ing upon  the  reputation  and  manifold  talents  as- 
cribed to  him  by  the  musical  people  of  my  native 
town,  asked  him  if  he  would  teach  me  to  play  upon 
the  violoncello.  Before  answering  me  he  began  to 
laugh,  and  I  can  see  him  now  as  he  stood  there  in 
his  tower-room,  his  robust  stature  and  smooth- 
shaven,  fleshy  tace  shaking  and  growing  more  florid 
as  he  laughed,  and  finally  exclaimed,  between  shrieks 
of  laughter  and  with  emphasis:  "  You  fool!  You 
want  to  play  the  'cello  ?  Why  don't  you  take  some 
instrument  you  can  learn  ?  The  idea  of  a  chap  of 
your  grade  wanting  to  take  lessons  on  the  'cello!  " 
and  he  continued  to  double  up  with  laughter.  "  I 
have  heard  a  man  play  the  'cello  magnificently, 
and  I  have  full  confidence  in  my  ability  to  learn  to 
play  it;  he  learned — why  should  n't  I  ?  "  I  replied, 
quite  crestfallen  at  his  apparent  doubt  of  my  musi- 
cal ability.  He  looked  at  me  a  minute,  stopped 
laughing,  and  said:  "  Forgive  me,  Moritz,  but  the 
man  who  would  play  the  violoncello  well  must  not 
dabble  with  other  instruments;  the  'cello,  my  boy, 
is  the  king's  instrument;  it  is  not  for  one  who  seeks 
to  gain  a  livelihood  by  playing  it, — rather  is  it  for  one 
who  has  ample  time  to  study  it  and  is  possessed  of 
a  true  musical  spirit."  After  listening  to  his  tirade, 
I  asked  him  whether  he  could  play  the  'cello,  where- 
upon he  straightened  up  and  said  reproachfully, — for 
he  took  my  words  as  an  insult, — "  Why,  I  can  play 
every  instrument,  and  if  you  insist  upon  it  I  will 
give  you  lessons,  and  teach  you  all  that  I  know." 
I  kept  him  to  his  word,  and  took  my  first  lesson 
then  and  there.  Old  Dazian  brought  out  his  violon- 


1 6  Reminiscences 

cello,  put  it  on  a  chair,  and  calling  me  to  him  taught 
me  to  draw  the  bow  across  the  strings.  As  his  fee 
was  no  higher  than  that  of  Schiitz  I  could  well 
afford  to  keep  up  my  lessons,  but  after  twelve  he 
most  respectfully  told  me  that  he  could  not  teach 
me  any  more,  as  I  already  knew  as  much  about 
the  'cello  as  he  did.  The  little  knowledge  that  I 
then  had  of  that  beautiful  instrument  was  of  great 
value  to  me,  and  I  requested  old  Dazian  to  form  a 
string  quartette  where  I  could  play  the  'cello  part, 
which  he  did. 

It  is  a  sad  thought,  when  one  looks  upon  the  life 
of  a  man  like  Dazian,  who  was  endowed  with  a  great 
musical  talent,  a  talent  which  was  worthy  and  strong 
enough  to  receive  the  highest  cultivation,  and  which 
would  have  given  the  musical  world  a  man  of  the 
greatest  genius,  that  he  should  have  been  cramped 
by  the  limitations  of  Scheinfeld.  Nature  was  very 
liberal  to  him,  but  destiny  was  not  equally  kind, 
and  it  seemed  to  me  that  what  he  termed  his  good 
fortune  was  but  his  misfortune.  But  Dazian,  gifted 
musically  as  are  few  others,  did  not  apparently  no- 
tice the  omission,  but  enjoyed  the  few  blessings  he 
had  received  and  the  opportunity  that  made  him 
Stadt  Musikus  of  Scheinfeld.  To  me  it  was  a  sad 
picture,  and  I  have  often  wondered  if  he  ever  felt 
conscious  of  what  he  had  been  denied.  I  sincerely 
hope  not,  and  that  he  died  as  supremely  happy  as  he 
was  in  the  old  days  when  he  taught  me  to  play  the 
violoncello.  I  never  take  up  his  'cello  now — for  by 
a  happy  chance  I  was  able  to  buy  his  collection  of 
instruments  complete — but  that  I  recall  his  kind- 
ness and  encouragement  to  the  lonely  boy  in  the 


TOWER   OF  THE   STADT   MUSIKUS. 


Early  Days  17 

days  when  he  knew  what  it  was  to  suffer  and  to  sigh 
'  for  money  with  which  to  carry  on  the  study  of  music, 
and  which  seemed  as  far  off  as  the  bags  of  gold  which 
we  are  told  hang  from  either  end  of  the  rainbow, 
and  which  are  ours  if  we  can  but  catch  and  hold  the 
beautiful,  fleeting  thing  of  color. 

Finding  that  I  had  plenty  of  unoccupied  time 
after  finishing  my  'cello  lessons  with  old  Dazian,  for 
the  war  put  an  end  to  my  business  plans,  and  realiz- 
ing that  in  our  little  town  there  lived  a  man  of  the 
highest  culture  and  most  peculiar  characteristics,  a 
man  whose  sphere  was  totally  different  from  that  of 
the  musical  men  of  Scheinfeld,  I  resolved  to  seek 
his  acquaintance ;  and  I  must  not  overlook  the  time 
I  spent  with  him,  for  the  sound  philosophy  he 
taught  me  has  been  a  help  and  inspiration  all  along 
the  rough  road  which  I  have  had  to  travel.  His 
name  was  Kleinschrod,  and  he  must  at  one  time 
have  occupied  a  very  high  and  prominent  position 
in  the  political  affairs  of  the  Bavarian  kingdom ;  in 
fact,  it  was  quietly  whispered  among  those  who  had 
the  pleasure  of  his  acquaintance  that  he  once  lived 
in  a  large  city,  where  he  meted  out  justice  in  the 
capacity  of  a  judge. 

He  was  fearless  and  righteous,  a  man  of  demo- 
cratic and  liberal  ideas,  and  endowed  with  rare 
qualities  in  his  profession  of  jurisprudence,  and  be- 
cause of  his  views,  which  were  antagonistic  to  the 
then  existing  regime,  which  was  divided  between 
the  Church  and  the  Crown,  he  was  in  exile  in 
the  little  town  of  Scheinfeld.  He  probably  gave 
strong  impulse  to  the  rebellion  of  '48,  for  he  was  a 
man  who  would  not  acknowledge  the  divine  right 


1 8  Reminiscences 

of  kings,  and  was  especially  opposed  to  Louis  I., 
who,  in  view  of  his  love  for  art,  overloaded  the 
kingdom  with  expensive  buildings,  art  collections, 
monuments,  etc.  At  that  time,  and  even  before 
the  revolution,  the  most  outrageous  scenes  were 
enacted,  brought  about  by  Louis's  mad  passion  for 
Lola  Montez,  whose  stay  in  Munich  is  memorable, 
and  who,  on  account  of  her  unlimited  charms, 
succeeded  in  leading  the  poetical-minded  King  into 
eccentricities  that  worked  fatally  in  court  circles  and 
created  scandals  not  to  be  tolerated,  and  which  fi- 
nally resulted  in  the  abdication  of  the  King  from  the 
throne.  The  conduct  of  Lola  Montez  at  that  time, 
in  her  position  as  paramour  to  Louis  I.,  strongly 
suggests  the  regime  of  Mme.  de  Maintenon  and 
Louis  XIV.  Kleinschrod  must  have  uttered  some 
strong  sentiments  against  the  monarch  and  his  ad- 
herents, and  that  was  probably  the  reason  why  he 
was  dismissed  from  his  high  position ;  and  even 
when  deprived  of  his  office  he  was  forbidden  to 
practice  law  in  the  kingdom. 

Being  thus  cut  off  from  gaining  a  livelihood  in 
this  direction,  he  settled  in  Scheinfeld,  and  in  a 
secret  way  served  the  peasantry  as  counsellor  at 
law,  picking  up  quite  a  little  money,  for  the  peas- 
antry of  that  section  were  always  at  swords'  points 
and  had  no  legal  adviser,  though  my  father,  while 
he  lived,  filled  the  position,  giving  them  sound, 
wholesome  advice  gratis.  I  felt,  and  naturally, 
much  sympathy  for  Kleinschrod,  for  I  had  gath- 
ered enough  experience  during  my  youthful  travels 
to  enable  me  to  discriminate  between  men  of  or- 
dinary minds  and  the  few  who  really  possessed 


Early  Days  19 

superior  intellect, — those  who  stood  out  boldly  as 
men  of  strong  character,  and  those  who  had  no 
mind  of  their  own.  It  was  this  that  made  me  ^eek 
the  acquaintance  of  this  remarkable  man;  partly, 
as  I  said  before,  from  sympathy  for  him  in  his 
exile,  but  principally  to  study  with  him  and  to 
learn  from  him  some  of  his  rare  qualifications.  He 
was  not  a  man  who  could  be  easily  approached,  and 
it  took  me  some  time  to  muster  up  enough  courage 
to  call  upon  him. 

Kleinschrod  was  a  bachelor  of  advanced  years, 
a  man  of  heavy  stature,  strong  features, -and  dark, 
piercing  eyes  which  expressed  a  world  of  passion. 
Like  many  great  men  of  his  time  he  was  clean 
shaven,  his  complexion  being  sallow,  while  his 
mouth,  with  its  thin,  straight  lips,  showed  the  cyni- 
cism of  the  man  of  the  world  and  at  times  the  placid 
look  of  a  monk.  His  office  was  simply  a  small  room 
with  an  equally  small  bedchamber,  and  the  four 
walls  of  the  office  were  bare  of  any  decoration.  He 
could  not  have  been  a  strong  adherent  of  his  Church, 
for  the  customary  crucifix  with  the  small  font  for 
holy  water — never  missing  in  the  house  of  a  be- 
liever— was  absent;  while  the  furniture  consisted 
of  a  plain  pine  table,  one  three-legged  stool,  and  a 
rough  wooden  bench  close  to  the  wall.  The  bare 
floor  was  strewn  with'  clean  white  sand,  and  a 
wooden  jug  in  one  corner  held  the  fresh  water  from 
the  town  pump.  I  must  confess  that  I  felt  rather 
weak-hearted  when  I  knocked  at  the  door  of  the 
office  of  this  peculiar  man,  for  I  had  a  predilection 
of  his  austerity,  and  I  feared  that  the  suavity  which 
I  had  acquired  at  Ems  would  be  of  little  use  to  me, 


20  Reminiscences 

and  my  heart  thumped  violently  against  my  vest 
when  in  answer  to  my  knock  he  called  out  in  a  rather 
gruff  voice,  "  Herein."  I  opened  the  door  with 
trembling  hand  and  haltingly  stepped  into  the  room. 
As  I  approached  and  stood  before  him  all  of  my 
fears  increased,  and  the  neat  little  speech  which  I 
had  prepared  went  like  a  flash  from  my  mind,  and 
left  me  there  a  frightened,  stammering  lad.  I  was 
again  the  poor  Scheinfeld  boy,  all  my  acquired 
learning  having  vanished.  Kleinschrod  understood 
my  awkwardness  immediately,  and  it  was  my  good 
fortune  that  when  I  was  speechless  and  in  despair 
he  arose  and  coming  to  me  offered  his  hand,  and 
with  his  cynical  but  fascinating  smile,  said,  "Gruss 
Gott."  His  voice,  so  musical  and  full  of  pathos, 
gave  me  command  of  myself  at  once,  and  with  it 
came  the  assurance  that  I  was  not  only  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  great  man,  but  one  that  was  full  of  senti- 
ment and  remarkable  goodness.  He  questioned  me 
closely  concerning  myself,  whether  I  was  in  trouble, 
and  with  evident  astonishment  remarked  that  it 
seemed  strange  that  a  youth  of  my  years  needed 
his  services.  I  hastened  to  assure  him,  in  a  joking 
way,  that  I  was  not  in  trouble  and  that  I  was  not 
looking  for  any,  which  latter  remark  seemed  to  in- 
cline him  more  favorably  towards  me,  and  he  said, 
with  that  cynical  smile,  that  it  had  been  his  experi- 
ence that  a  man  had  not  to  seek  trouble ;  that  it  was 
given  to  him  gratuitously  and  in  far  greater  propor- 
tion than  happiness.  As  he  talked  his  expressive  face 
lighted  up,  his  sallow  skin  reddened,  and  his  eyes 
sparkled  under  the  strong  emotions  which  surged 
through  him.  I  stood  entranced,  when  suddenly 


he  changed  the  conversation,  seized  his  long 
pipe,  filled  it  from  a  tobacco-jar  on  the  table,  and 
lighting  it  with  a  taper  blew  out  a  cloud  of  smoke 
which  hid  his  face  for  a  moment ;  when  it  passed 
away  and  he  looked  at  me  again  he  was  the  stern 
advocate,  and  he  at  once  repeated  his  question, 
"  What  can  I  do  for  you,  my  friend  ?  "  To  which 
I  replied  that  I  had  called  to  see  if  it  were  possible 
for  me  to  study  with  him,  and  to  pay  in  part  for  my 
instruction  by  working  as  his  amanuensis.  He  im- 
mediately said  that  he  would  be  more  than  willing 
to  help  me, — and  it  was  a  great  day  for  me  when  I 
entered  his  office  and  began  my  study  and  work 
under  his  guidance. 

I  served  him  for  several  months,  and  found  that 
the  briefs  which  I  was  called  upon  to  write  were 
of  great  benefit  to  me,  for  his  diction  was  beauti- 
ful. Together  we  carefully  read  many  of  the  Ger- 
man classics,  such  as  Herder,  Wieland,  Klopstock, 
Richter,  and  the  philosophical  doctrine  of  Kant, 
and  from  his  comments  I  gathered  many  precious 
pearls  of  thought  which  have  been  guiding  stars 
in  my  later  years.  His  views  on  political  econ- 
omy, on  statesmanship,  on  the  ethics  of  life — how 
to  live,  how  to  suffer,  how  to  enjoy  life,  and, 
finally,  how  to  die — have  been  invaluable.  These 
thoughts,  which  came  spontaneously,  were  imbued 
with  the  power  of  a  Socrates.  Kleinschrod  was 
very  poor,  and  the  little  money  I  was  able  to  pay 
him  from  time  to  time  from  my  limited  resources, 
was  so  thankfully  received  that  I  could  but  look  up- 
on it  as  a  deed  of  charity.  I  have  dwelt  at  length  up- 
on my  association  with  this  remarkable  man  because 


22 


Reminiscences 


the  days  spent  with  him  have  been  of  great 
help  to  me  all  along  the  stony  path  to  success,  and 
are,  even  now,  when  I  have  tasted  the  joys  of  pros- 
perity, food  for  thought  as  I  doze  before  my  cheerful 
grate  fire  on  a  chilly  winter's  night.  Kleinschrod, 
— the  remembrance  of  whose  life  never  fades,  Klein- 
schrod, who  opened  for  me  two  beautiful  flowers, — 
Confidence  and  Hope. 


CHAPTER  II 

Switzerland — Berlin — Journey  by  Sleigh  into  Russia — Chavli — Riga 

BECOMING  weary  of  my  enforced  idleness,  I 
resolved  to  try  my  fortune  in  Switzerland, 
and  one  day  I  set  out  with  my  case  of  optical  goods 
for  St.  Gall  and  the  land  of  eternal  snow.  St.  Gall 
is  the  capital  of  the  canton,  and  one  of  the  largest 
business  centres  of  Switzerland.  The  ancient  walls 
and  moat,  the  Benedictine  Abbey,  founded  by  St. 
Gallus,  an  Irish  monk,  and  at  one  time  one  of  the 
greatest  seats  of  learning  in  Switzerland,  and  having 
a  wonderful  library,  I  found  most  interesting,  and, 
while  I  did  not  grow  rich,  I  managed  to  more  than 
pay  my  way. 

From  St.  Gall  I  went  to  Chur,  for  I  had  made  up 
my  mind  to  pay  a  visit  to  the  famous  Engadine 
Thai,  believing  that  at  St.  Moritz  and  Pontresina  I 
could  do  quite  a  profitable  business  with  the  invalids 
forced  to  go  there  for  the  winter  months.  Chur  is 
delightfully  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Plessur  in 
the  Rhine  valley,  and  there  my  sales  were  excellent. 
From  Chur  I  went  to  Silvaplana  by  the  Julier  Pass, 
in  company  with  a  teamster  who  was  carting  an  im- 
mense cask  of  wine  across  the  pass  to  the  town.  He 

23 


24  Reminiscences 

sat  on  one  end  of  the  long  sled  and  drove,  while  I, 
with  my  satchel  and  case  of  optical  goods,  rode  on 
the  other.  When  we  were  thirsty,  as  we  often  were, 
he  used  to  take  out  the  bung  of  the  cask,  insert  a 
couple  of  tubes,  and  together  we  would  pull  away 
at  the  wine.  The  trip  was  most  interesting,  for  the 
view  of  the  snow  mountains  of  the  Bernina  was 
magnificent,  and,  lower  down,  the  whole  valley  of 
the  Upper  Engadine  from  St.  Moritz  to  Sils  lay 
stretched  out  before  us,  and  we  had  an  exciting  run- 
away down  the  winding  descent. 

From  Silvaplana  I  went  to  St.  Moritz,  a  charming 
village  on  Lake  St.  Moritz,  and  one  of  the  most 
frequented  and  favorite  resorts  of  the  Engadine, 
the  water  being  considered  very  beneficial  for  con- 
sumption and  stomachic  complaints.  My  business 
at  St.  Moritz  was  not  all  that  I  could  desire,  but  I 
had  a  capital  time  with  a  jolly  party  of  young  people 
whom  I  met,  and  borrowing  a  guitar  we  went  ser- 
enading nightly  and  frolicking  generally.  After  a 
stay  of  two  weeks  I  went  to  Samaden,  the  largest 
village  in  the  Engadine,  where  the  chateau  of  the 
old  Engadine  families  of  Sali  and  La  Planta  is 
located.  These  families  have  taken  a  prominent 
part  in  the  history  of  the  canton  for  the  past  ten 
centuries.  At  Samaden  I  remained  some  time, 
meeting  many  pleasant  people,  and  one  day  I  at- 
tended a  wedding.  After  the  festivities  were  over, 
and  the  bride  and  groom  ready  to  start  for  the 
groom's  home,  a  little  town  up  the  mountain  called 
Ponte,  several  of  the  guests  in  double  sleighs  set  out 
to  accompany  them.  When  about  half-way  there, 
the  bride  and  groom  and  the  next  two  sleighs  were 


Germany  and  Russia  25 

buried  by  an  avalanche  of  snow,  and  I  only  escaped 
death  by  being  in  the  last  team.  The  sadness  of 
that  event  quite  spoiled  the  Engadine  for  me,  and 
after  a  visit  to  Pontresina,  where  I  was  entertained 
by  a  wealthy  chocolate  manufacturer  named  Jost,  at 
his  beautiful  house  just  out  of  the  village,  I  left  for 
Churwalden,  and  from  Churwalden  went  back  to 
Chur. 

Thinking  that,  as  long  as  I  was  in  Switzerland,  I 
might  as  well  see  some  of  the  large  cities,  I  went  to 
Zurich,  where  I  spent  a  month  very  profitably. 
From  Zurich  I  travelled  to  Zug  and  Lucerne,  then 
to  Berne  by  the  Emmenthal,  then  on  to  Bienne, 
Basle,  Schaffhausen,  and  finally  back  to  St.  Gall, 
where  I  decided  to  go  home,  for  there  I  received  a 
letter  from  my  brother-in-law  and  former  employer 
at  Coblenz,  stating  that  he  was  about  to  start  on  a 
journey  through  Germany  and  Russia,  his  mission 
being  twofold, — for  he  was  to  lecture  and  exhibit 
the  telegraph,  together  with  electricity  in  its  appli- 
cation to  telegraphy,  and  to  show  and  sell  optical 
goods.  He  begged  me  to  accompany  him  as  his 
assistant,  and  as  he  was  more  liberal  in  his  offer  than 
when  I  worked  for  him  at  Coblenz  I  resolved  to 
return  home  and  go  with  him.  Accordingly,  I  set 
out  for  Scheinfeld,  and  in  a  few  weeks  joined  him  at 
Coblenz,  and  we  started  on  our  eventful  journey, — 
I  with  a  feeling  of  deep  joy  that  I  was  to  see  some- 
thing of  the  world,  and  have  the  opportunity  of 
hearing  great  musical  artists,  for  while  I  had  heard 
considerable  music  in  the  small  cities  I  had  visited, 
and  such  operatic  performances  as  were  in  the  reach 
of  those  places,  I  had  never  enjoyed  the  privilege 


26  Reminiscences 

of  hearing  grand  opera  in  the  residential  cities  of 
Europe,  nor  had  I  ever  heard  large  orchestral 
performances. 

The  study  of  Beethoven's  works  was  in  its  infancy, 
while  Mendelssohn  was  hardly  known.  Berlioz  had 
just  completed  a  triumphal  journey  through  Ger- 
many, introducing  his  grand  compositions,  but 
Liszt's  orchestral  works  and  greater  vocal  scores 
were  still  lying  in  the  cradle.  Schubert  and  Schu- 
mann were  considered  extremists,  and  the  good  pub- 
lic of  Germany  revelled  in  sweet  repose,  comfortable 
in  the  possession  of  the  works  of  Haydn  and  Mozart. 
It  is  true  that  Paganini's  work  was  over,  and  that 
his  tremendous  execution  upon  the  violin  stood 
boldly  out  upon  the  horizon  of  virtuosity;  that  De 
Be>iot,  Spohr,  Ernst,  and  Vieuxtemps,  were  well 
known  among  those  deeply  interested  in  violin 
music,  but  their  efforts  were  not  fully  appreciated 
by  the  public  at  large.  The  large  cities  of  Europe 
were  naturally  the  favored  ones,  and  they  were 
given  the  privilege  of  hearing  Liszt,  Mendelssohn, 
Schumann,  Henrietta  Sontag,  Jenny  Lind,  Wachtel, 
Stigelli,  Mario,  Grisi,  and  many  other  famous  artists. 
The  oratorios  of  Mendelssohn,  the  Ninth  Symphony 
of  Beethoven,  the  Passion  Music  of  Bach,  and  the 
resurrection  of  the  latter  master's  great  works  by 
that  genius,  Mendelssohn,  were  to  be  heard  in  the 
large  cities  of  Europe  only.  Of  Beethoven  I  scarcely 
knew  anything,  his  Second  Symphony  in  D  being 
the  only  number  of  the  nine  which  had  gained  a 
hearing  in  the  small  cities,  and  I  longed  to  become 
initiated  in  the  great  wealth  of  the  tone-world,  so — 
apart  from  the  financial  side  of  the  question — I 


Germany  and  Russia  27 

eagerly  seized  this  opportunity  of  travel,  feeling 
that  a  beautiful  world  lay  before  me  in  the  realm  of 
music.  It  was  about  this  time  that  the  Mtiller 
Brothers  quartet  created  a  furore,  but  there  were  few 
other  string  quartets  that  could  be  heard  publicly. 

Our  first  stopping-place  en  route  to  Russia  was 
Berlin,  and  in  this  city  I  heard  grand  opera;  listened 
to  Liebig's  and  Henning's  symphony  orchestra, 
while  for  lighter  music  there  was  Pliesner's  orches- 
tra, whose  excellent  playing  gave  me  great  delight. 
In  Berlin  I  also  heard  Joseph  Gungl'.  With  such 
advantages  I  gained  a  knowledge  of  the  composi- 
tions before  named,  having  the  opportunity  of  hear- 
ing the  world's  greatest  artists  upon  the  violin, 
violoncello,  clarionet,  French  horn,  and  the  flute. 
The  work  in  which  I  was  professionally  engaged 
brought  me  in  contact  with  men  of  science  and  learn- 
ing, such  as  professors  of  astronomy,  chemists,  and 
men  of  mechanical  knowledge  generally,  and  I  con- 
sider the  time  spent  in  Berlin  of  the  greatest  im- 
portance in  a  musical  and  business  way. 

During  my  stay  I  lived  in  the  house  of  a  shoe- 
maker, the  first  floor  of  the  dwelling  being  given 
over  to  the  shop,  while  the  family  and  lodgers  oc- 
cupied the  rest  of  the  house.  When  I  went  to  live 
there,  the  shoemaker  and  landlord  had  just  buried 
his  wife,  and  the  management  of  the  shop  and 
household  was  in  the  hands  of  Pauline,  a  niece  of 
his  departed  Frau.  It  was  Pauline  to  whom  I  ap- 
plied for  a  room.  It  was  Pauline  who  received  me 
cordially  and  showed  me  the  one  room  which  was 
for  rent ;  and  while  I  did  not  like  the  location  or  the 
appearance  of  the  little  room,  I  was  induced  to  take 


•x 


28  Reminiscences 

it  because  I  saw  Pauline,  and  a  piano  in  the  parlor 
which  the  pretty  young  landlady  assured  me  I  could 
use  when  I  pleased.  This  decided  me,  and  I  took 
the  room  then  and  there. 

Pauline  was  a  happy,  vivacious  Berlin  child  of 
about  eighteen  summers,  a  pronounced  blonde,  with 
limpid  blue  eyes  and  a  head  covered  with  masses  of 
long  wavy,  golden  hair.  She  was  inclined  to  be 
tall,  was  well  built,  and  had  really  aristocratic  hands 
and  feet.  Her  skin  was  exquisite,  and  every  time 
she  laughed — which  she  did  very  often — she  showed 
a  set  of  white,  even  teeth.  She  was  always  amiable, 
and,  as  in  Berlin  the  low  and  even  the  middle  classes 
are  possessed  of  an  unlimited  amount  of  humor,  I 
must  confess  that  with  the  shop,  the  room,  and, 
best  of  all,  the  piano,  Pauline  appeared  to  me  at 
that  moment  as  a  very  attractive  person. 

When  I  was  settled  and  was  busily  engaged  play- 
ing my  scales  and  exercises  one  evening,  a  spirit  of 
meditation  stole  over  me,  and  in  this  poetical  state 
of  mind  I  began  to  improvise.  It  was  twilight,  and 
Berlin  for  the  moment  was  a  quiet,  peaceful  town, 
for  everything  was  still  and  reposeful.  As  I  played 
I  noticed  the  door  slowly  and  silently  open,  and, 
glancing  out  of  the  corner  of  my  eyes,  I  saw  the 
golden  head  of  Pauline  appear.  She  stepped  lightly 
into  the  room,  closed  the  door  softly,  and,  coming 
to  the  piano,  stood  looking  down  at  me  from  over 
my  shoulder,  and,  as  I  finished  my  improvisation 
and  turned  around  on  the  stool,  she  expressed  to 
me  in  soft  and  tender  words  her  high  appreciation 
of  the  music  which  she  had  heard  while  standing 
outside  the  door.  She  begged  me  to  forgive  her 


Germany  and  Russia  29 

for  coming  in  uninvited,  assuring  me  that  she  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  enter  and  express  to  me 
her  admiration  for  the  soul-filling  harmonies  which 
she  had  just  heard.  Of  course  I  thanked  the  pretty 
maid  for  her  words  of  praise,  and,  wishing  to  appear 
gracious,  I  asked  her  if  she  was  interested  in  playing 
the  piano.  She  replied,  that  while  she  was  not  her- 
self a  performer,  she  was  passionately  fond  of  music, 
especially  singing,  and  that  she  sometimes  sang. 

To  my  sorrow,  and  out  of  deference  to  music 
which  is  produced  by  the  human  voice  and  whose 
instrument  is  the  throat,  I  must  confess  that  vocal 
music  has  little  attraction  for  me.  I  have  always 
looked  upon  song  as  a  conglomeration  of  words 
and  tones,  and  instead  of  enhancing  either  one  or 
the  other,  the  production  of  a  musical  tone  that 
has  underlying  words  for  its  rhythmical  existence 
appears  to  me  antagonistic  to  the  pure  tones  which 
have  no  words,  viz.,  those  belonging  to  the  violin 
tribe,  or  such  sounds  as  are  emitted  from  a  wind 
instrument  under  the  same  conditions.  I  have 
always  thought  that  the  domain  of  the  human  voice 
included  a  larger  circle,  and  encompassed  in  that 
circle  many  emotions  of  the  human  heart  and  an 
unlimited  wealth  of  thought  that  finds  its  means  of 
expression  through  the  medium  of  the  tongue,  but 
when  it  is  associated  with  the  musical  tone  and  is 
dependent  upon  the  word,  its  functions  and  charms 
vanish,  and  unlike  the  tone  of  a  musical  instrument 
which  is  free  from  this  incumbrance,  its  vibrations, 
being  independent,  are  therefore  of  a  more  musi- 
cal nature. 

This  thought  in  itself  did  not  put  me  in  the  mood 


30  Reminiscences 

to  be  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  ecstasies  which 
Pauline  expressed  over  my  work ;  still,  as  I  desired 
to  show  my  appreciation  for  her  art,  I  asked  her  to 
sing  something  for  me.  She  readily  consented, 
adding,  however,  that  her  uncle  was  deeply  inter- 
ested in  her  of  late,  and  she  thought  it  would  be 
more  prudent  for  her  to  sing  for  me  when  he  was 
out  of  the  house,  as  he  was  inclined  to  be  jealous, 
and  that  she  would  come  in  some  evening  when  he 
was  absent. 

A  few  nights  after  the  above  conversation,  she 
came  and  offered  to  sing  for  me,  her  uncle  being 
away  for  the  evening.  Her  selection  of  songs  had 
a  strong  leaning  toward  the  love  ditties  and  senti- 
mental ballads  which  half  a  century  ago  served  the 
musically  inclined.  I  looked  the  collection  over, 
finally  taking  Abt's  When  the  Swallows  Homeward 
Fly  as  the  least  sentimental  of  the  lot.  She  had 
sung  but  a  few  bars  when  I  discovered  that  she 
possessed  too  much  feeling,  too  great  pathos,  too 
little  intelligence,  and,  above  all,  no  consideration 
as  to  tone-production  and  true  pitch.  She  began 
in  the  key  of  C,  and  while  advancing  eight  bars  her 
voice  was  transposed  into  higher  regions,  and  while 
pursuing  her  flight  she  reached  the  twentieth  bar 
safely  a  tone  higher  on  D.  Of  course  I  politely 
followed,  transposing  for  her,  and  as  she  sang  with 
so  much  expression  and  so  earnestly  this  beautiful 
effusion  of  Abt,  she  flew  still  higher  until  she  was  a 
minor  third  from  her  original  start.  Up  she  went  to 
E,  then  to  F,  F  sharp,  and,  my  good  Lord !  she  was 
soon  a  fifth  above.  In  following  her  rapid  flight 
she  evidently  felt  perfectlyly  at  ease,  feeling  sure  of 


Germany  and  Russia  31 

herself  until  finally  she  was  rudely  awakened  from 
her  musical  enthusiasm  by  discovering  that  the  high 
notes  of  the  song  were  no  longer  within  her  reach, 
and  she  utterly  collapsed,  and  the  poor  swallows 
which  were  expected  to  fly  homeward  fell  to  earth 
with  a  crash  on  the  last  note. 

I  was  amazed  and  in  agony.  Beautiful  Pauline 
of  yesterday  was  no  longer  an  ethereal  being  to  en- 
chant me  with  her  charms,  and  rising  from  the  piano 
I  abruptly  left  the  room.  I  shall  never  forget  When 
the  Swallows  Homeward  Fly,  and  how  fair  Pauline 
made  them  soar  and  soar  until,  when  finally  they 
found  their  nest,  they  must  have  been  quite  as  mis- 
erable as  I  was  when  trying  to  follow  their  rapid 
flight.  I  am  sure  that  they  would  have  much  pre- 
ferred to  rest  than  do  as  I  did  after  hearing  their  fate 
from  the  pathetic  and  somewhat  ambitious  voice  of 
Pauline,  for  in  my  unhappy  state  of  mind  I  decided 
to  say  adieu  to  my  musical  muse,  at  least  for  the 
present,  and  to  enjoy  and  revel  in  an  art  which  had 
equally  interested  me  in  my  early  life  when  living 
among  the  priesthood  of  Bavaria  in  the  cloisters  of 
the  monks.  I  was  tired  of  music,  and  I  wandered 
away  to  look  at  the  churches  of  Berlin,  for  I  had 
always  entertained  a  fondness  for  ecclesiastical 
architecture. 

There  is  certainly  a  distinct  difference  in  the  state 
of  the  fine  arts  between  the  people  of  Northern  and 
those  of  Southern  Germany.  The  main  cause  may 
be  found  in  the  religious  state  of  these  two  sections, 
but,  above  all,  in  the  distinct  climatic  conditions, 
for  the  style  of  architecture  of  Northern  Protestant 
Germany,  with  its  simplicity  of  interior  decorations, 


32  Reminiscences 

and  the  Catholic  churches  of  Southern  Germany 
may  be  easily  distinguished.  The  churches  of  Ber- 
lin fifty  years  ago  did  not  speak  so  powerfully  to  my 
imagination,  and  did  not,  therefore,  afford  me  that 
rest  and  quiet  which  had  come  over  me  when  look- 
ing at  the  domes  of  Wiirtzburg,  Speyer,  Bamberg, 
and,  especially,  the  grand  domes  of  Regensburg, 
Augsburg,  and  Cologne.  In  looking  at  Berlin's 
beautiful  churches,  the  hidden  forces  that  controlled 
my  musical  state  gave  me  rest  and  courage  to 
again  enter  the  house  of  "  La  cantatrice  des  hiron- 
delles,"  and  entering  my  room  I  threw  myself  upon 
my  couch  while  my  imagination  occasionally  carried 
me  to  the  swallows  of  Fraulein  Pauline. 

The  success  of  my  employer  in  Berlin  was  pro- 
nounced, and  our  stay  had  to  be  prolonged  on  that 
account.  The  city  was  still  in  a  state  of  siege,  and 
remained  so  for  many  years.  One  day  while  walk- 
ing through  the  streets  I  approached  a  public  place, 
called  the  Molken  Markt,  and  as  I  drew  near,  I 
heard  a  great  noise,  the  clamoring  of  several  thou- 
sand people,  principally  workingmen.  There  was 
a  tremendous  tumult  which  seemed  to  me  very 
much  like  a  revolt,  and  as  I  entered  the  Markt  and 
inquired  into  the  disturbance — for  it  was  unusual  in 
broad  daylight  and  in  a  public  place — I  was  told  by 
one  of  the  rioters  that  the  release  of  Jacoby  from 
prison  was  about  to  take  place.  This  man  Jacoby 
had  been  imprisoned  because  of  the  speeches  he 
had  made  to  the  good  people  of  Berlin  during  the 
revolutionary  days,  and  on  account  of  the  princi- 
ples promulgated.  Jacoby  was  one  of  the  repre- 
sentatives of  the  Chambers,  and  he  enjoyed  great 


SQUARE    PIANOFORTE.     FOUR   OCTAVES. 
Once  in  the  possession  of  the  Princess  of  Turn  and  Taxis  in  Regensburg. 


Germany  and  Russia  33 

popularity  and  respect  among  the  Liberals  and  those 
who  were  actively  interested  in  bringing  on  the 
revolution  of  '48. 

I  had  been  presented,  before  leaving  home,  with 
a  peculiar  and  most  conspicuous  kind  of  an  over- 
coat, which  was  known  among  the  few  as  a  capuze. 
It  was  a  long  coat  with  a  hood  or  cowl,  and  was 
made  of  heavy  woollen  cloth  of  a  blue  color.  This 
coat  must  have  looked  very  strange,  if  I  am  to  judge 
by  the  frequent  remarks  which  were  thrown  at  me 
as  I  walked  along  the  streets  of  Berlin.  But  to 
return  to  the  riot.  My  curiosity  prompted  me  to 
hasten  on  and  join  the  shouting  mob,  and,  as  I  was 
forcing  myself  into  their  very  midst,  I  suddenly  felt 
a  grip  upon  the  cowl  of  my  coat  with  one  hand,  while 
I  was  struck  in  the  side  with  the  butt  of  a  heavy 
army  musket,  which,  I  assure  you,  had  the  effect  of 
arousing  me  from  my  curious  state  of  mind.  Turn- 
ing, I  saw  a  big  gendarme  who  had  placed  me  under 
arrest,  and  I  was  quickly  led  away  from  the  howl- 
ing mob,  and  although  I  found  a  few  defenders  who 
tried  to  save  me  from  the  burly  gendarme,  they 
were  unsuccessful,  because  my  captor  was  immedi- 
ately reinforced,  and  the  squad,  charging  with 
bayonets  into  the  crowd,  quickly  scattered  them. 
I  was  literally  dragged  away  and  not  allowed  to  halt 
until  I  was  safe  in  the  arms  of  the  police  depart- 
ment. There  I  was  ushered  into  the  presence  of 
several  officials,  charged  by  my  captors  with  having 
been  a  rioter.  A  number  of  civilians  had  followed 
me  to  the  station,  and  while  the  gendarmes  were 
trying  to  drive  them  from  the  building  one  gentle- 
man of  fine  address  forced  himself  into  the  room, 

3 


34  Reminiscences 

and  told  the  officer  in  charge  that  he  had  witnessed 
the  whole  affair,  and  that  he  could  truthfully  testify, 
though  I  was  a  stranger  to  him,  that  I  was  not 
actively  engaged  in  any  of  the  manifestations  that 
gave  force  to  the  riot,  either  by  action  or  words. 
This  voluntary  witness  must  have  held  some  official 
position  of  importance,  because  his  word  was  imme- 
diately taken,  and  I  was  permitted  to  go  free,  and 
I  thank  my  lucky  stars  that  I  was  able  to  get  off  so 
easily  from  the  clutches  of  German  law, — the  cause 
of  which  was  not  due  so  much  to  my  peaceful  atti- 
tude, as  to  the  cut  of  my  coat,  and- 1  offered  a  silent 
prayer  to  the  genius  of  the  tailor  who  had  fashioned 
the  capuze. 

My  love  for  Berlin  cooled  down  somewhat  after 
this  adventure,  and  I  consulted  with  my  employer 
upon  the  advisability  of  an  early  departure  from  the 
city,  and  as  he,  like  myself,  was  not  over  courage- 
ous, and  imbued  with  the  mild  tendencies  of  good 
and  peaceful  citizens,  I  found  little  difficulty  in  con- 
vincing him  that  it  was  better  to  move  on  and  try  to 
find  more  congenial  fields  for  our  work.  Having  fi- 
nally decided  to  leave  Berlin  the  next  day,  I  returned 
to  my  room  and  called  in  Pauline.  She  looked  very 
handsome  that  evening,  and  could  not  have  been 
aware  of  the  impression  made  upon  me  by  her  sing- 
ing when  she  put  to  flight  the  swallows ;  rather  must 
she  have  been  favorably  impressed  by  my  abrupt 
manner  of  leaving,  for  she  was  more  coquettish  than 
ever.  I  told  her  that  I  was  to  go  away  on  the  mor- 
row, whereupon  she  burst  into  tears,  and,  throwing 
herself  into  my  arms,  implored  me  not  to  leave  her; 
to  stay  in  Berlin,  to  settle  there,  and  marry  her.  She 


Germany  and  Russia  35 

did  not  love  her  uncle,  she  could  not  be  left  to  his 
mercies ;  she  had  it  all  arranged.  We  would  elope 
that  very  night,  and  she  felt  sure  that  great  happi- 
ness and  success  would  follow  our  union,  and  that 
in  a  musical  way  we  would  be  of  great  benefit  to 
each  other. 

I  must  confess  that  never  before  had  I  found  my- 
self in  such  a  trying  position,  and  while  the  swallows 
still  fluttered  about  in  my  brain,  I  felt  great  sympa- 
thy for  the  pretty  child,  and,  as  I  could  not  find 
any  means  of  consoling  her  in  her  grief,  I  assured 
her  that  I  should  always  remember  her  sweet  face, 
the  friendly  interest  she  had  taken  in  me,  the  many 
little  acts  of  kindness  I  had  enjoyed  while  under  her 
roof.  I  also  assured  her  that  as  long  as  I  lived  I 
should  remember  her  singing,  and  that  at  some 
future  day  I  might  settle  down  in  Berlin,  and,  if  so, 
I  would  return  for  her  and  in  some  measure  try  to 
repay  the  true  affection  which  she  had  so  profusely 
showered  upon  me.  She  seemed  content,  and  we 
parted  the  best  of  friends.  Happy  am  I  to  state 
that,  like  all  little  girls,  she  was  won  with  a  new 
doll,  and  when  next  I  visited  Berlin  I  looked  her  up 
and  found  her  married  and  caring  for  a  family  of 
two  little  golden-haired  tots,  the  image  of  their  fair 
mother. 

After  leaving  Berlin  we  visited  Danzig  and  Ko- 
nigsberg,  and  finally  arrived  in  Tilsit  upon  our  jour- 
ney towards  Russia.  In  all  of  the  cities  where  we 
stopped  we  met  with  unexpected  success,  and  after 
a  profitable  week  in  Tilsit  we  started  upon  our 
memorable  trip  into  Russia. 

The  winter  of  '49  was  an  unusually  severe  one  in 


36  Reminiscences 

that  section  of  the  country,  where  severe  winters 
always  prevail,  and  we  were  told  that  travel  in 
Russia  was  of  a  very  perilous  nature,  for  there  were 
no  railroads  of  note  at  that  time  on  the  line  of 
route  which  we  had  mapped  out,  and  as  the  ground 
was  covered  with  snowdrifts,  it  was  out  of  the  ques- 
tion for  us  to  find  the  road.  As  it  was  not  possible 
to  obtain  vehicles  of  any  kind  we  had  to  supply  our- 
selves with  a  large  covered  wagon  which  we  caused 
to  be  fitted  out  on  a  long  sleigh.  Travel  then  de- 
pended upon  our  obtaining  fresh  horses  at  the  post- 
stations  along  the  route.  For  this  purpose  we  had 
to  get  a  permit  and  certificate  from  the  Russian 
Government  at  the  frontier,  which  not  only  enabled 
us  to  get  horses  as  we  needed  them  at  each  post- 
station,  but  also  included  competent  drivers.  The 
horses  furnished  were  quite  small  and  untrained, 
unlike  the  domestic  horses  of  Germany,  and  as  the 
banks  of  snow  were  very  high,  and  no  definite  road 
could  be  followed,  it  required  as  many  as  six  and 
sometimes  eight  horses  to  pull  our  caravan  through 
the  drifts.  One  driver  led  the  horses  by  means  of 
a  lash,  whipping  them  continually,  while  two  men 
on  the  backs  of  the  others  had  to  manage  them. 
The  post-stations,  then  located  far  apart,  did  not 
offer  lodging  or  food,  and  it  was  therefore  necessary 
for  us  to  carry  with  us  sufficient  provisions  to  keep 
us  from  starving,  while  at  night  we  were  forced  to 
sleep  in  our  covered  sleigh  in  front  of  the  station. 

Our  party  consisted  of  my  employer,  Mr.  Aisch- 
mann,  an  assistant  by  the  name  of  Oscar  Richter, 
and  myself,  and  I  do  not  like  to  recall  the  hardships 
which  we  were  forced  to  endure  upon  that  long, 


Germany  and  Russia  37 

tiresome  journey.  To  keep  from  freezing  we  were 
covered  from  head  to  foot  with  furs,  and  thus  pro- 
tected we  managed  to  reach  the  first  post-station, 
after  covering  some  twenty  miles.  It  was  night 
when  we  arrived,  and  bitter  cold,  and,  although 
wrapped  up  in  fur  blankets,  we  were  chilled  to  the 
bone.  After  a  conversation  with  the  agent,  who 
knew  but  a  few  sentences  of  the  German  language, 
we  made  out  to  understand  that  it  would  be  fool- 
hardy for  us  to  continue  the  trip,  as  the  snowbanks 
were  treacherously  deep  and  the  road  proper  could 
not  possibly  be  found.  If,  however,  we  insisted 
upon  proceeding,  it  would  be  well  for  us  to  take,  in 
addition  to  the  drivers  we  already  had,  two  extra 
men  on  horseback  who  were  familiar  with  that  section 
of  the  country,  to  ride  ahead  and  give  the  drivers 
some  little  knowledge  of  the  course  to  be  followed. 
The  agent  said  that  he  would  be  one  of  them,  while 
he  had  a  Polish  Jew  who  knew  the  country  well  who 
would  go  with  him.  I  did  not  like  this  man's  face. 
There  was  something  very  sinister  about  the  expres- 
sion of  his  dark  eyes,  and  I  told  my  employer  that  I 
feared  that  the  men  would  lead  us  into  some  corner 
and,  after  robbing  us,  leave  us  there  to  die.  My  sus- 
picion proved  correct,  because  when  we  commenced 
to  make  preparations  to  start  next  morning — it  was 
snowing  and  blowing  a  gale,  and  nothing  could  be 
seen  ten  yards  ahead  save  the  immense  banks  of 
snow — the  agent  advised  us  to  wait  until  the  storm 
ceased.  As  we  could  not  see  anything  wrong  in 
this,  we  consented  to  stop  over  at  the  station,  and 
it  was  afternoon  when  we  ordered  the  horses  and 
again  got  ready  to  resume  our  journey.  The  wind 


38  Reminiscences 

had  subsided,  but  the  air  was  full  of  snowflakes. 
As  we  were  leaving,  the  agent  came  and  told  us  that 
it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  go  with  us,  as  he 
had  business  of  an  important  nature  to  attend  to, 
which  he  had  forgotten  the  night  before,  but  that 
the  Jew  had  a  brother  who  was  quite  as  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  roads  as  he  was,  and  that  this  man 
would  take  his  place  as  guide.  I  objected  strenu- 
ously, but  my  employer  did  not  heed  my  advice, 
and  the  two  hard-looking  fellows  accompanied  us. 

The  days  in  the  north  are  short,  and  after  we  had 
travelled  through  the  snow  for  a  few  hours,  we  found 
that  night  was  upon  us,  though  we  were  still  some 
distance  from  the  next  station,  which  we  had  been 
told  was  a  village.  As  the  darkness  increased  I  over- 
heard a  conversation  between  the  two  men  ahead, 
which  they  carried  on  in  Hebrew,  evidently  thinking 
that  there  was  no  one  in  our  party  who  understood 
that  tongue.  To  my  horror,  I  learned  that  these 
men  were  in  compact  with  our  drivers,  and  that  they 
intended  to  rob  us  of  our  goods  and  money  and  leave 
us  upon  the  road  to  perish,  and,  if  we  gave  them  any 
trouble,  to  kill  us,  because  there  was  at  that  time  in 
that  section  no  law  to  punish  them.  I  immediately 
called  a  council  of  war,  and  informed  my  employer 
and  Mr.  Richter  of  what  I  had  overheard.  We 
talked  the  matter  over  in  our  caravan,  and  it  did 
not  take  us  long  to  decide  what  to  do.  My  em- 
ployer and  Richter  were  strong  and  courageous, 
much  more  so  than  I  was,  and  as  we  were  provided 
with  good  pistols  we  took  them  out  and,  calling  a 
halt,  ordered  the  two  men  ahead  to  come  to  us,  osten- 
sibly to  talk  over  the  continuance  of  the  journey. 


Germany  and  Russia  39 

As  they  rode  up,  my  employer  covered  one  with 
his  pistol,  as  did  Richter  the  other,  commanding 
them  to  dismount.  Trembling  they  obeyed,  and 
standing  in  the  snow  they  were  told  that  we 
knew  all  about  their  plot  to  rob  us,  and  that  unless 
they  immediately  gave  up  their  arms  they  would  be 
shot  down  like  dogs.  The  villains  denied  that  they 
had  any  intention  of  harming  us,  that  all  they  had 
said  was  a  joke.  We  were  not  to  be  deceived,  how- 
ever, and  we  made  them  hand  over  their  weapons, 
and  watched  them  carefully  as  we  proceeded  in  the 
darkness  to  Chavli,  which  we  finally  reached  without 
further  adventure. 

It  is  not  within  my  province  to  give  a  vivid  de- 
scription of  Chavli  and  its  inhabitants.  It  would 
be  hard  to  tell  how  many  people  lived  there,  or  how 
they  eked  out  an  existence ;  where  they  came  from ; 
whether  they  ate  and  drank  as  do  others ;  what  was 
their  color  and  how  they  loved  one  another;  neither 
can  I  give  a  sworn  evidence  as  to  whether  there 
were  streets  or  houses  which  were  inhabited,  and 
whether  they  were  built  of  stone,  wood,  or  mud; 
whether  there  was  ever  a  summer  day  when  the 
warm  rays  of  sunshine  stole  over  the  village  and 
warmed  the  cockles  of  their  old  hearts;  whether 
there  were  shops,  churches,  factories,  schools,  scan- 
dals, or  milkmen  to  wake  you  at  3  A.M. ;  and,  finally, 
any  rag-peddlers  to  call  out  in  musical  Russian, 
"  Cash  paid  for  rags."  These  and  many  other 
things  I  could  not  find  out  when  I  entered  Chavli, 
because  it  was  night.  Naturally,  every  intelligent 
man  who  dwells  upon  subjects  of  this  kind  painfully 
and  hopefully  awaits  the  break  of  day  to  look  about 


40  Reminiscences 

and  find  evidences  and  solutions  to  such  illusory 
problems,  and  when  at  last  the  dawn  of  day  broke 
upon  the  horizon,  I  hastened  to  peer  out  and,  to 
my  sorrow,  I  found  that  all  of  my  ideas  of  little 
Chavli  were  as  naught,  for  the  entire  village  lay 
buried  in  snow. 

It  is  possible  that  my  powers  of  seeing  and  com- 
prehending may  have  been  in  a  weak  condition 
when  I  here  relate  my  experience  of  that  Nachtlager 
of  Chavli.  When  we  reached  the  village,  we  were 
directed  towards  a  hut  which  was  kept  by  a  Jewish 
family  who  were  accustomed  to  accommodate  the 
few  travellers  who  visited  the  place.  The  family 
consisted  of  a  very  old  man,  close  on  to  one  hun- 
dred, his  two  sons  in  the  sixties,  and  a  woman  who 
must  have  belonged  to  one  of  them,  her  age  being 
no  index.  To  describe  the  little  old  woman  I  must 
have  had  a  powerful  magnifying-glass  to  see  what 
her  charms  were,  and  as  to  her  color,  stature,  and 
dress  I  cannot  speak  authoritatively,  because  the 
room,  lighted  by  a  single  lard  lamp,  was  so  dark 
that  I  could  not  see  her  distinctly.  My  attention 
was  principally  directed  towards  the  very  old  man, 
who  was  seated  at  a  table  upon  which  was  the  lamp, 
and  before  him  lay  an  open  book  from  which  he  was 
reciting  sentences  without  referring  to  the  book, 
these  recitations  being  accompanied  by  some  musi- 
cal tones  that  did  not  rise  beyond  the  compass  of  a 
third  or  a  fifth.  His  shrunken,  sallow  face  and 
deep-set  eyes,  his  little  corkscrew  curls  which  hung 
down  upon  either  side  of  his  wizened  cheeks,  his 
claw-like  hands  spread  out  upon  the  book,  made  a 
picture  that  I  cannot  forget.  Upon  either  side  sat 


Germany  and  Russia  41 

the  two  old  men,  his  sons,  and  they,  too,  murmured 
or  chanted  in  an  antiphonic  style, — alternately  with 
their  father. 

This  melodramatic  performance  in  the  little  dingy 
hut,  which  was  utterly  destitute  of  furniture,  made 
a  powerful  impression  upon  my  mind,  and  I  felt 
inclined  to  investigate  the  nature  of  this  peculiar 
proceeding,  so  I  stepped  up  to  the  trio  and  asked 
them  in  German  what  it  all  meant.  One  of  the 
sons,  pointing  to  the  old  man,  told  me  that  he  was 
the  father,  and  being  a  rabbi  was  intensely  interested 
in  the  study  of  the  Tora,  while  they  were  engaged 
in  studying  the  Talmud,  Mishna,  and  Gemara. 
They  must  have  been,  philosophical  works  concern- 
ing the  Hebrew  faith  which  they  practised,  partly 
as  a  glorification  of  the  mercies  of  Jehovah,  and  also 
the  wisdom  and  guiding  principles  of  the  Hebrew 
in  this  world. 

When  I  compare  the  wretched  condition  of  the 
hut,  the  mode  of  living,  and  the  village  in  which 
this  trio  dwelt ;  when  I  consider  the  poverty  they 
must  have  endured  from  the  time  they  entered  upon 
their  earthly  existence  into  a  world  that  could  offer 
them  almost  nothing  either  politically  or  religiously, 
having  no  social  pleasures  or  those  things  that  lead 
men  and  women  to  a  higher  state  of  civilization,  I 
am  astounded  that  under  such  conditions  the  very 
philosophy  of  life  should  be  practised,  religious 
tendencies  which  stood  in  strong  bas-relief  in  this 
wretched  hut ;  and  when  the  old  rabbi  sang  in  his 
declining  and  feeble  tones  of  the  glories  of  Jehovah, 
he  did  more,  I  say,  than  that  holy  father  who  dwells 
in  a  palace  in  the  Vatican,  surrounded  by  everything 


42  Reminiscences 

beautiful  and,  unlike  the  filial  assistants  of  the  rabbi, 
guarded  by  a  regiment  of  cardinals,  archbishops, 
and  priests,  can  ever  do  to  demonstrate  to  enlight- 
ened Christendom  religion  and  its  intrinsic  purity. 
If  the  dogma  of  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope  would 
search  for  a  birthplace,  let  it  look  to  the  hut  of  the 
rabbi  and  his  two  apostles  in  far-away  Chavli  as  not 
an  unsuitable  one. 

We  were  tired  and  hungry,  and  therefore  appealed 
to  the  rabbi  for  shelter  and  food.  Our  request  in 
this  direction  was  not  as  eagerly  anticipated  as  our 
religious  demands  might  have  been,  and  we  were 
directed  to  the  old  woman  for  information  as  to 
what  there  was  for  us  in  the  way  of  lodging  and 
food.  She  opened  a  door  leading  off  from  the  room 
in  which  the  rabbi  and  his  sons  were  chanting,  and 
disclosed  a  small  room  having  a  partial  floor  of  rough 
boards,  the  rear  being  entirely  uncovered  save  for  a 
few  bundles  of  straw.  This  she  kindly  offered  to 
us  for  the  night,  which  offer  my  emp^yer  and  Mr. 
Richter  thankfully  accepted  while  I  had  to  sleep  in 
the  wagon,  it  being  my  night  as  watchman.  Some 
hot  drink,  which  they  called  tea,  and  some  coarse 
bread  made  of  straw,  formed  our  evening  repast, 
after  which  I  went  out  to  the  wagon  where  I  passed 
the  night. 

The  storm  had  entirely  ceased  when  morning 
broke,  but  it  left  upon  the  ground  an  enormous 
amount  of  snow,  and  when  we  appealed  to  the  post- 
master of  the  village  for  horses,  in  conformity  with 
our  contract  with  the  Government,  he  informed  us 
that  the  horses  were  too  small  to  drag  our  heavy 
caravan  through  the  snow,  and  that  we  must  be 


Germany  and  Russia  43 

content  to  make  the  next  stage  of  our  journey  with 
oxen,  which  we  did.  We  were  not  given  breakfast 
at  the  hut,  but  were  told  that  some  few  miles  farther 
on  we  would  be  able  to  get  something.  Trust- 
ing in  Providence,  we  started  for  the  next  post- 
station,  and  fortune  indeed  smiled  upon  us,  for 
when  we  halted  we  were  generously  fed  with  meat, 
bread,  potatoes,  and  really  good  coffee.  I  must 
confess  that  we  all  felt  like  giving  thanks  to  the 
Creator  who  had  so  far  guided  us  through  a  wilder- 
ness and  desert  of  snow,  preserved  our  life  in  sundry 
places,  and,  finally,  brought  us  to  a  haven  of  rest 
where  steaming  hot  coffee,  bread,  and  excellent 
potato  soup  were  to  be  had  for  the  asking. 

Having  partaken  bountifully  of  our  meal  we 
started  on,  refreshed  in  mind  and  body.  The  mid- 
day sun  now  reappeared  and  its  rays  shone  brightly 
upon  the  virgin  snow  until  it  sparkled  and  glis- 
tened like  a  field  of  diamonds,  while  the  wind,  keen 
and  cold,  ever  and  anon  blew  the  particles  into  little 
mounds  of  fantastic  shapes,  the  rays  from  which 
were  almost  blinding. 

We  were  all  in  a  very  happy  mood,  and,  while  we 
were  meditating  on  a  better  time  in  the  near  future, 
we  were  by  no  means  disheartened.  Suddenly,  in 
that  wilderness  of  snow  we  heard  the  sound  of 
music,  and  beheld,  approaching  us  in  the  distance, 
a  forlorn  Italian  with  an  organ  on  his  back,  and 
with  him  another  equally  forlorn  being,  holding, 
cuddled  close  in  his  arms,  a  poor  little  monkey, 
whose  naturally  hairy  skin  was  covered  with  a  big 
fur  coat,  his  wizened,  wrinkled  face  and  little  beady 
eyes  mournfully  peeping  out  at  us  from  under  the 


44  Reminiscences 

close-fitting  hood,  as  much  as  to  say, ' '  What  are  you 
doing  here  ? "  I  must  say  that,  while  I  have  heard 
many  symphony  orchestras  and  enjoyed  the  per- 
formances of  grand  opera  and  oratorio,  the  dulcet 
tones  which  came  from  that  little  organ,  and  the 
appearance  of  the  artists  and  management  of  the 
band  of  musicians  moved  me  far  more  than  had 
the  others.  The  symphonic  music  which  filled  the 
air  sounded  heavenly  in  the  quiet  snow-clad  space, 
and  when  the  monkey  appeared  in  his  role,  garbed 
in  a  little  red  cap  and  gown,  very  much  bespangled 
and  hung  with  tiny  tinkling  bells,  choosing  our 
wagon  for  a  stage  upon  which  to  show  his  art,  I 
could  not  fail  to  recognize  and  call  to  mind  pictures 
of  the  drama  of  mediaeval  times,  when  prose,  poetry, 
action,  and  music  found  its  stage  in  the  open  air  with 
the  blue  vault  of  heaven  for  its  dome. 

Finally  we  reached  Riga,  the  capital  of  Livonia, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  St.  Petersburg  and 
Odessa,  the  most  important  port  of  all  Russia; 
Riga,  whose  walls  have  been  converted  into  prom- 
enades; Riga,  with  St.  Peter's  church,  built  in 
1406,  and  its  tower  470  feet  high.  The  effect  of 
the  night's  stay  in  the  room  at  the  house  of  the 
old  rabbi  had  weakened  my  employer,  and  he  had 
to  go  to  bed  at  Riga  with  a  severe  attack  of  rheu- 
matism, brought  on  by  sleeping  in  the  straw  upon 
the  floor  of  the  hut.  Fate  was  indeed  kind  to  me, 
and  though  I  was  forced  to  spend  the  night  outside 
in  the  wagon  as  watchman,  I  was  in  perfect  health, 
while  those  whose  lot  I  really  envied  were,  the  one 
in  bed,  the  other  scarcely  able  to  crawl  about.  I 
immediately  sent  for  a  doctor,  and  in  a  few  weeks 


Germany  and  Russia  45 

Mr.  Aischmann  was  able  to  be  up.  During  his  ill- 
ness I  lectured  and  sold  optical  goods  in  the  city. 

While  Riga  was  not  at  that  time  a  large  city,  its 
splendid  position  on  the  river  Duna  gave  it  a  certain 
amount  of  prestige,  and  I  found  it  a  most  delightful 
place  of  residence,  apart  from  its  commercial  im- 
portance. It  boasted  of  many  titled  inhabitants, 
both  in  military  and  civil  circles,  and  the  sciences 
and  arts  were  cultivated.  In  consequence  of  this, 
I  must  mention  the  existence  of  a  very  good  opera- 
house  where  an  excellent  company  were  employed, 
and  whose  standing  received  the  indorsement  of 
Conradin  Kreutzer,  the  great  composer  of  Das 
Nachtlager  in  Granada,  who,  with  his  daughter,  re- 
sided there  until  his  death,  which  occurred  a  few 
months  before  my  arrival.  This  was  a  source  of 
great  regret  to  me,  as  I  was  a  profound  admirer  of 
Kreutzer's  work  and  the  overture  of  the  above- 
named  opera  which  found  a  place  upon  every  concert 
programme  the  world  over.  Riga,  with  its  operatic 
and  dramatic  performances,  I  enjoyed  immensely, 
and  I  did  not  regret  the  extra  work  which  my  em- 
ployer's illness  caused  me,  because  it  gave  me  such 
opportunities  in  a  musical  and  dramatic  way,  and 
even  later  on,  when  our  business  became  so  success- 
ful that  we  decided  to  tarry  for  some  months,  I 
rejoiced  in  the  thought  that  I  was  to  hear  some  mag- 
nificent performances,  both  operatic  and  dramatic. 

On  account  of  the  social  importance  of  Riga, 
many  celebrities  in  the  artistic  world  visited  the 
city,  and  gave  evidence  of  the  immense  amount  of 
work  done  by  Kreutzer  and  the  influence  he  cast 
over  the  field  of  musical  culture.  I  obtained  the 


46 


Reminiscences 


loan  of  a  pianoforte  and  availed  myself  of  the  in- 
struction of  a  fine  teacher,  and  when  I  left  Riga  I 
had  improved  greatly  in  my  pianoforte  playing.  I 
had  also  the  opportunity  of  playing  chamber  music 
with  members  of  the  orchestra,  where  I  played  the 
'cello  part  in  trios  and  quartets. 


CHAPTER  III 

Dorpat — Reval — Pleskov — A  Short  Trip  to  Finland 

AT  the  end  of  our  stay  my  companions  moved 
on  to  St.  Petersburg,  and,  as  my  employer 
deemed  me  capable  of  carrying  on  the  work  in  the 
immediate  places  between  Riga  and  St.  Petersburg, 
he  left  me  one  day  and  I  went  to  Dorpat,  or  Derpt, 
a  town  northeast  of  Riga  on  the  river  Embach.  Dor- 
pat  is  noted  for  its  university,  founded  in  1632  by 
Gustavus  Adolphus,  and  connected  with  it  is  an 
astronomical  observatory  which  had  at  that  time  a 
tremendous  telescope,  made  by  Frauenhofer  of 
Munich,  which  stood  hardly  second  to  any  instru- 
ment of  that  kind  in  the  world.  This,  of  course, 
was  of  great  interest  to  me,  and  I  soon  called 
upon  the  Professor  of  Astronomy,  Mr.  Madler,  who 
received  me  cordially  and  showed  me  over  his 
magnificent  observatory.  He  was  also  a  great 
musician,  and  his  wife  was  considered  the  finest 
pianist  in  that  section.  By  his  kind  invitation  I 
went  to  his  home,  and  there  became  acquainted 
with  a  most  delightful  and  cultivated  family,  and 
through  his  influence  I  was  presented  to  a  body  of 
musicians,  members  of  a  string  quartet  employed 

47 


48  Reminiscences 

by  a  nobleman  who  lived  upon  a  large  estate  near 
Dorpat.  The  members  of  this  quartet  were  four 
of  the  most  eminent  musicians  in  Germany,  and 
their  work  consisted  in  playing  string  quartets  for 
the  nobleman.  I  shall  always  remember  my  visit 
to  his  castle  and  the  picturesque  and  romantic 
location  of  it,  but  especially  the  marvellous  playing 
of  the  four  artists  at  a  matinee, — and  from  that  time 
I  became  more  and  more  possessed  with  the  fascina- 
tion of  quartet  playing. 

Our  perilous  journey  into  Russia,  and  the  many 
changes  that  had  come  to  me  in  a  business  way,  as 
well  as  my  researches  in  the  musical  world — for  I 
had  at  all  times  sought  to  gain  knowledge — finally 
told  upon  my  rugged  constitution,  and  after  visiting 
a  few  small  places  I  became  ill,  and  by  the  advice  of 
a  physician  I  went  to  Reval,  a  seashore  resort  on 
the  Gulf  of  Finland,  for  the  purpose  of  building  up 
my  health,  and  to  rest  and  recuperate.  My  princi- 
pal object,  however,  was  to  obtain  more  instruction 
upon  the  violoncello,  for  I  had  been  told  that  at 
Reval  there  lived  a  good  'cello  player,  connected 
with  the  orchestra,  who  would  give  me  lessons.  I 
wanted  to  get  away  from  business,  and  intended  to 
devote  my  time  for  a  few  weeks  exclusively  to  the 
study  of  the  pianoforte  and  violoncello. 

Reval  at  that  time  was  a  port  of  great  importance, 
and  having  a  delightful  situation  it  attracted  annu- 
ally large  numbers  of  tourists  who  came  there  for 
health  and  rest.  At  the  hotel  where  I  was  staying  I 
was  informed  that  a  travelling  company  of  dramatic 
artists,  by  name  the  Muller  family,  were  to  give  a 
series  of  performances,  to  consist  of  recitations  from 


VERTICAL   CONCERT   GRAND.     SIX    OCTAVES. 
Made  by  C.  Miiller,  Vienna,  about  1780. 


Russia  and  Finland  49 

the  classics  of  Lessing,  Schiller,  Goethe,  and  others, 
while  a  part  of  the  program  would  be  given  over 
to  vocal  selections  by  Fraulein  Marie  Muller,  who 
was  a  remarkable  vocalist,  enjoying  a  reputation 
all  over  Europe  as  a  ballad-singer.  I  had  a  piano- 
forte in  my  room  upon  which  I  practised  daily,  and 
it  happened  that  the  Muller  family  were  assigned 
rooms  adjoining  mine,  and  from  time  to  time  I 
heard  delightful  strains  of  music,  a  voice  singing 
solfeggio  exercises,  while  later  I  heard  Beethoven's 
Adelaide  sung  most  intelligently  by  a  female  voice. 

The  invisible  music  which  was  wafted  to  my 
ears,  and  the  charm  that  was  hidden  in  its  peculiar 
timbre,  excited  my  curiosity,  and  at  the  same  time 
commanded  my  attention,  there  was  so  much  culti- 
vation connected  with  it,  and  it  was  so  different 
from  Pauline's  warblings.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
sound  of  my  piano  and  'cello  must  have  reached 
the  Muller  apartment.  I  felt  very  anxious  to  know 
something  about  the  possessor  of  that  voice  which 
had  moved  me  so  strongly,  and  so  appealed  to  my 
musical  sense.  As  I  could  not  intrude  myself  upon 
therr  privacy,  I  resolved  to  watch  them  as  they 
passed  down  the  hall. 

Just  as  I  was  opening  the  door,  Mr.  Muller, 
with  his  wife  and  daughter,  stepped  into  the  corri- 
dor, and  in  my  anxiety  to  see  the  artists,  I  hastily 
wished  them  "  good-morning,"  whereupon  Mr. 
Muller  thanked  me,  and  as  he  glanced  into  the  room 
through  the  open  door  and  saw  my  piano,  which 
stood  just  opposite  against  the  wall,  he  mentioned 
to  me  his  pleasure  in  having  heard  me  improvise, 
paying  me  a  few  sincere  and  agreeable  compliments. 


50  Reminiscences 

I  immediately  invited  him  into  my  humble  room, 
which  invitation  he  accepted,  entering  with  his 
family.  After  we  had  chatted  a  few  moments  he 
told  me  that  he  intended  to  give  a  series  of  per- 
formances in  Reval,  and  this  opened  the  way  for  me 
to  express  my  delight  in  having  heard  the  sweet 
tones  of  a  voice  in  his  apartment,  and  to  add  that  it 
would  give  me  great  pleasure  to  hear  it  again.  At 
this  Mr.  M tiller  told  me  that  the  singer  was  his 
daughter  Marie,  and  I  felt  constrained  to  pay  her 
my  just  acknowledgment  of  the  pleasure  I  had  de- 
rived from  her  singing,  and  to  congratulate  her  upon 
her  art. 

The  impression  made  upon  me  by  Fraulein  Marie 
was  one  which  affected  me  powerfully.  She  was  a 
superlatively  beautiful  woman,  with  Titian  coloring, 
tall,  slight,  and  willowy,  with  quantities  of  wavy 
hair  which  she  wore  brushed  off  from  her  forehead 
and  gathered  loosely  in  a  coil  high  upon  her  head. 
Her  eyes  were  amber,  and  in  them  lay  a  world  of 
hidden  meaning.  There  was  a  peculiar  charm  about 
her  figure,  and  she  moved  as  gracefully  and  noise- 
lessly as  a  fawn.  She  was  perfectly  gowned  in  the 
fashion  of  that  period,  her  dress  having  evidently 
been  suggested  by  her  coloring.  "  She  was  withal 
so  fair  as  to  take  the  breath  of  men  away  who  gazed 
upon  her  unaware."  When  she  responded  to  the 
few  words  which  I  addressed  to  her,  and  I  heard 
the  faultless  pronunciation  of  the  German  language, 
which  could  only  have  been  gained  by  a  careful 
study  of  elocution  and  the  most  intimate  knowledge 
of  rhythm,  I  felt  that  she  possessed  a  charm  aside 
from  her  musical  voice  such  as  I  have  never  since 


Russia  and  Finland  51 

experienced.  Her  facial  expression  as  she  spoke, 
the  opening  and  closing  of  her  lips  disclosing  her 
regular  white  teeth,  and  the  expression  of  her  eyes, 
completely  entranced  me.  Marie  appeared  to  me 
like  a  Venus,  and  when  I  associated  her  personal 
charm  with  her  musical  genius  I  became  her  slave. 

It  took  me  some  seconds  to  collect  myself  so  as 
not  to  appear  as  the  weakling,  and  in  a  fortunate 
moment  I  threw  myself  into  the  arms  of  music  and 
spoke  to  her  of  Beethoven's  Adelaide,  which  I  had 
but  a  short  time  before  heard  her  render.  I  told 
her  of  my  profound  love  for  this  wonderful  composi- 
tion, and  remarked  that  the  proper  medium,  so  it 
seemed  to  me,  of  interpreting  such  a  love-song  was 
only  to  be  found  in  a  tenor  voice ;  that  I  had  never 
before  heard  it  attempted  by  a  soprano,  and  that 
even  though  the  words  of  the  song  expressed  manly 
love  for  woman,  I  could  but  admit  that  never  had 
I  listened  to  that  song  with  greater  pleasure  and 
admiration,  with  more  devotion  for  the  master,  than 
when  she  intoned  its  musical  strains.  Marie,  in  a 
dignified  manner,  bowed  her  lovely  head  in  acknowl- 
edgment, and  with  charming  self-possession  thanked 
me.  I  then  invited  her  to  sing  for  me,  and  she 
graciously  consented.  Going  to  her  room,  she 
shortly  came  back  with  a  group  of  songs  and  re- 
quested me  to  accompany  her  upon  the  piano.  I 
must  have  used  good  judgment  despite  my  embar- 
rassment, for  I  have  never  been  able  to  understand 
how  the  strong  pulsations  of  my  heart  permitted  my 
fingers  to  strike  the  chords,  and  how  I  kept  my  mad 
passion  from  running  away  with  them,  but  when  we 
had  finished  she  spoke  most  encouragingly  to  me, 


52  .  Reminiscences 

telling  me  that  I  had  great  musical  ability,  and  that 
she  had  never  sung  with  such  a  perfect  accompanist. 
Before  I  had  time  to  thank  her  for  her  words  of 
praise,  she  interrupted  me  with  the  most  determined 
and  urgent  request  to  play  her  accompaniments  at 
the  recital  to  be  given  by  her  parents.  This,  as 
may  be  conjectured,  was  a  great  boon  to  me,  and 
while  I  made  some  few  excuses  as  to  my  inabil- 
ity to  do  justice  to  such  an  artist,  I  accepted  the 
proposition.  After  this  arrangement  Marie  visited 
me  for  rehearsals,  and  out  of  this  friendship  ripened 
a  devotion  between  us,  and  through  it  all  I  believe 
I  was  guided  by  the  right  spirit  of  the  musical  work 
assigned  me. 

There  certainly  was  much  talent  in  the  Miiller 
family,  and  while  I  do  not  know  the  history  of  their 
career,  I  could  not  fail  to  recognize  the  earnestness 
of  both  the  father  and  mother,  the  keen  appreciation 
which  they  showed  for  the  work  of  the  author,  the 
careful  study  and  schooling  which  they  must  have 
undergone;  while  their  expression  of  dramatic  in- 
tensity marked  the  full  stage  acquaintance  with  their 
art.  There  was  a  remarkable  clearness  and  distinc- 
tiveness  in  the  way  in  which  they  rendered  each 
author;  the  emotional  tendency  of  Schiller,  the  un- 
bounded intellectuality  of  Goethe,  the  lyric  hue 
imbued  in  Heine's  exquisite  poems,  and  even  when 
they  touched  upon  less  important  and  severe  dra- 
matic bits,  even  those  in  a  humorous  vein,  the  artist 
betrayed  itself  and  proved  that  there  existed  the 
most  intimate  familiarity  between  them.  It  was 
really  the  artistic  work  of  these  performers  that 
brought  forth  the  hearty  applause  of  the  somewhat 


Russia  and  Finland  53 

critical  audience,  and  they  were  in  a  satisfied  and 
happy  mood  when  Marie  appeared  as  the  songstress 
of  the  evening. 

The  young  artist  must  have  been  in  a  highly 
nervous  state  when  she  stepped  out  upon  the  stage, 
for  I  observed  with  some  trepidation  her  timidity 
and  nervousness  as  shown  by  the  trembling  of  her 
hands  that  held  the  music,  but  on  account  of  her 
familiarity  with,  and  being  perfectly  at  home  upon, 
the  concert  platform,  she  regained  her  composure 
instantly.  The  first  attack  of  the  musical  tone  that 
formed  the  melody  of  her  song  was  influenced  in 
its  nature  by  her  mental  condition,  which  gave  em- 
phasis and  young  life  to  the  creation  of  it,  and  her 
first  triumph  as  a  great  artist  was  achieved.  The 
love  of  her  art,  the  delight  which  she  must  have  ex- 
perienced in  the  euphonious  tone  that  consisted  of 
the  highest  and  most  diversified  colors,  her  grada- 
tion of  this  tone  when  she  entered  into  the  melodi- 
ous mosaics  of  the  melody,  the  warm  nature  of  the 
poet, — all  these  elements  like  garlands  of  flowers 
encircled  her  vocal  art,  converting  it  into  a  most 
profound  work  of  tonal  ecstatics.  As  she  proceeded, 
and  as  rier  nature  brightened  up  in  harmony  with 
her  exultation,  she  cast  an  electric  magnetism  over 
her  hearers,  which  held  them  spellbound,  and  when 
she  finished  her  song  the  audience  was  tumultuous, 
and  amidst  deafening  applause  a  profusion  of  flowers 
was  showered  upon  her.  Her  triumph  also  con- 
quered my  poor  heart, — "  for,  after  all,  there  is  no 
arrow  for  the  heart  like  a  sweet  voice," — and  when 
she  finished  I  felt  that  life  without  her  would  not  be 
worth  the  living.  I  realized  at  that  moment  how 


54  Reminiscences 

insignificant  was  my  beloved  violoncello,  and  all 
the  art  that  I  had  fancied  was  within  me.  I  was 
crushed,  the  abject  slave  of  a  voice,  and  when  I 
sought  my  couch  that  night  after  the  concert,  my 
restless  spirit  kept  vigilant  watch  over  my  brain ;  and 
all  the  ideas  which  had  for  years  ruled  me,  all  the 
plans  which  I  had  made,  lay  shattered  before  my 
eyes.  I  was  as  helpless  as  a  rudderless  ship  at  sea, 
and  in  my  uncontrollable  will  I  absolutely  decreed 
that  I  would  cast  everything  to  the  four  winds  and 
drift  in  the  tide  of  Marie's  affections.  Such  was  my 
mental  attitude  when  finally  my  physical  nature 
gave  way  and  I  fell  asleep. 

The  next  day  I  told  Marie  of  my  love ;  and  while 
she  admitted  that  she  loved  me  in  return,  that  with- 
out me  life  would  lose  half  its  brightness,  she  said 
she  was  wedded  to  her  art,  and  had  taken  a  solemn 
oath  to  remain  single  until  her  voice  left  her,  or  be- 
came too  thin  and  worn  to  longer  gain  for  her  a  hear- 
ing. Of  course  I  begged  her  to  reconsider,  and  many 
wretched  days  followed.  She  was  firm,  however; 
and  I  must  here  state  that  her  words  were  prophetic 
of  their  own  fulfilment,  for  she  died  several  years 
later  upon  the  stage  of  the  Vienna  Opera  House,  in 
the  midst  of  a  triumphal  song,  from  heart  failure, 
resulting  from  fright  at  the  cry  of  fire,  and  her  life- 
less body  was  borne  from  the  scene  of  her  late 
triumph,  the  crashing  of  burning  wood,  the  falling 
of  heavy  timbers,  chanting  her  requiem.  Fair 
Marie ! — 

"  Round  thee  blow,  self-pleached  deep, 
Bramble  roses,  faint  and  pale, 
And  long  purples  of  the  dale. 


Russia  and  Finland  55 

These  in  every  shower  creep, 

Thro'  the  green  that  folds  thy  grave." 

Marie's  verdict  influenced  me  to  leave  Reval,  and 
as  I  did  not  care  to  live  in  cultured  and  artistic 
circles  I  determined  to  undertake  a  journey  to  that 
ultra-Russian  city  called  Pleskov.  In  the  absence 
of  notes,  and  because  of  the  unfortunate  position  I 
was  in  at  that  time,  I  cannot  recall  any  of  the  inci- 
dents of  the  journey  from  Reval  to  Pleskov ;  all  that 
I  remember  concerning  it  is  that  I  had  to  choose 
as  the  vehicle  of  my  transportation  a  cart  without 
springs  or  seat,  a  few  bundles  of  straw  forming  a 
cushion  between  the  body  of  the  cart  and  myself. 
It  was  in  the  summer  season,  and  the  roads  were 
hilly  and  in  wretched  condition,  and  I  was  assured 
by  the  post-agent,  who  provided  me  with  horses 
and  driver,  that  three  horses  would  be  none  too 
many  to  take  me  and  my  goods,  together  with  a 
skilful  driver,  to  the  next  station  on  the  way  to 
Pleskov. 

When  I  compare  my  ideas,  which  were  so  richly 
represented  in  my  brain,  with  the  external  shocks 
.given  to  the  rest  of  my  body,  as  we  bumped  along 
over  the  stony,  hilly  road,  I  consider  myself  a  most 
attractive  subject  for  a  dime  museum,  for  the  out- 
side influences  of  the  joggling  cart  brought  me  in 
touch  with  life  and  the  early  struggles  which  I  had 
undergone  at  the  hands  of  the  old  cantor  in  Schein- 
feld.  It  was  agony,  I  thought,  learning  how  to  play 
the  clavichord  ;  but  when  I  compare  the  hopefulness 
of  my  situation  when  under  lock  and  key  in  the  old 
cantor's  room,  and  I  had  only  to  appeal  to  my 


56  Reminiscences 

memory  to  save  me  from  the  promised  spanking, 
with  the  uncertainties  of  some  day  gaining  the  hand 
of  Marie,  when  her  voice  would,  despite  all  of  my 
earnest  pleadings,  say  "  Farewell,"  I  feel  that  I 
have  kept  good  track  of  all  of  the  foreordinations 
of  my  Creator  when  I  entered  this  world. 

My  driver,  who  spoke  some  indistinct  German, 
interrupted  my  chain  of  thought,  and  informed  me 
that  we  were  nearing  a  village,  which  announcement 
gave  my  shattered  nerves  and  bones  some  relief. 
We  entered  the  little  place,  and  I  asked  my  driver 
whether  there  was  a  tavern  or  not,  and,  if  so,  to 
drive  me  there  for  the  night,  whereupon  he  told  me 
that  he  was  not  acquainted  in  the  village,  but  that 
he  would  try  to  find  a  place  for  us.  After  making 
several  inquiries,  he  came  to  me  with  the  cheering 
information  that  there  was  no  inn,  but  that  when  a 
stranger  happened  to  visit  the  place  shelter  was 
offered  by  the  priests,  there  being  a  dozen  or 
more  scattered  about  the  village.  This  hamlet  I 
found  had  no  regular  streets,  but  a  series  of  little 
crooked  alleys  and  cross-roads,  leading  to  small 
stone  houses,  whose  architectural  style  seemed  to 
be  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  dwellers,  for  there 
was  one  door  which  was  very  narrow  and  low,  while 
the  windows  reached  almost  down  to  the  alley,  and 
were  divided  into  different  sections.  They  were 
very  small,  and  some  broken  glasses  were  boarded 
over.  The  roof  came  slanting  down  to  meet  the 
windows,  and  projected  over  them,  forming  a  close 
proximity  to  the  floor.  All  around  the  lower  edges 
of  the  house  were  troughs,  which  must  have  served 
to  catch  the  rain-water  for  the  use  of  the  family, 


Russia  and  Finland  57 

and  as  I  saw  a  number  of  pigs,  both  large  and 
small,  quenching  their  thirst  therein,  it  seemed  to 
me  a  very  sensible  and  ingenious  contrivance,  quite 
different  from  the  modernized  methods  of  obtain- 
ing water,  saving  the  landlord  lots  of  bother  and 
expense. 

One  unpleasant  feature  was  that  there  was  no  dis- 
tinct division  made  in  the  trough  which  would  point 
to  an  aristocracy  between  swine  and  men,  and  as  I 
saw  in  the  distance  a  few  cows  also  availing  them- 
selves of  this  clever  device,  I  formed  a  most  emphatic 
opinion  of  the  democracy  of  Russia  under  a  despotic 
government.  I  was  very  curiously  affected,  and 
desiring  to  compare  the  interior  of  the  house  with 
the  exterior  arrangements,  I  entered  one  of  the 
houses,  and  found  the  floor  made  of  laths,  separated 
from  each  other  by  about  two  inches  and  elevated, 
so  that  in  washing  the  floor  the  water  could  find  an 
escapement.  The  walls,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping 
out  the  cold,  were  made  of  some  kind  of  cement 
filled  with  hair  and  straw,  and  this  cement  was 
thickly  put  on.  There  were  no  chairs  or  movable 
tables,  nor  could  I  perceive  any  bedsteads.  There 
were,  however,  rough  benches  of  wood,  built  along- 
side the  four  walls,  which  not  only  answered  for 
chairs,  but  at  night  served  as  bunks,  while  for  a 
table  there  was  a  wide  board  suspended  from  the 
ceiling  by  means  of  ropes  long  enough  to  reach  any 
of  the  benches,  so  that  it  could  be  moved  at  will 
from  bench  to  bench.  In  one  corner  there  was  an 
altar,  with  a  statue  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  holding  in 
her  arms  the  Christ-child,  very  lavishly  decorated 
with  paint,  so  that  her  face  appeared  in  a  roseate 


58  Reminiscences 

hue,  while  the  child,  in  lighter  color,  lay  in  swad- 
dling-clothes across  her  lap.  Next  to  the  Virgin, 
and  to  the  right,  was  a  statue  of  St.  Joseph,  while 
on  the  left  there  was  a  fanciful  figure  which  must 
have  been  intended  by  the  artist  to  represent  a 
donkey.  A  lamp,  made  of  a  wick  floating  in  a  glass 
bowl  of  oil,  hung  in  front  of  the  Holy  Family, 
throwing  a  faint  ray  of  light  upon  the  statue.  This 
lamp,  I  was  told,  burned  day  and  night.  When  we 
approached  the  altar,  the  proprietor  and  my  driver 
reverently  crossed  themselves  and  bent  the  knee. 

After  a  few  moments  of  religious  meditation  they 
arose,  and  I  was  shown  to  another  part  of  the  abode, 
which  was  a  large  room  opening  into  a  courtyard, 
and  without  any  flooring  whatsoever.  This  room 
was  used  as  a  stable  for  the  domestic  animals,  such 
as  cows,  pigs,  hens,  etc.,  with  the  customary  straw 
and  hay  scattered  about.  As  I  could  not  speak  the 
Russian  language,  I  could  not  make  my  wants 
known  to  my  host,  and  I  therefore  appealed  to  my 
driver,  telling  him  to  ask  the  man  whether  he  could 
give  us  food  and  shelter.  The  priest  kindly  con- 
sented to  keep  us,  and  informed  me,  through  my 
interpreter,  that  there  was  a  room  upstairs  for 
strangers  which  was  very  comfortable,  and  which 
generally  served  him  as  his  study,  for  he  kept  his 
books  and  writing  materials  there, — this  room  he 
courteously  offered  me. 

The  owner  of  the  house  was  one  of  the  dozen 
priests  of  the  village,  and  as  he  arranged  some  sort 
of  a  couch  for  me  in  the  study  I  immediately  took 
possession  of  it.  Our  evening  meal  consisted  of  an 
excellent  cup  of  tea,  some  smoked  venison,  a  saucer 


Russia  and  Finland  59 

of  delicious  honey,  and  the  usual  straw  bread.  The 
samovar  and  the  little  canteen  which  contained  the 
vodki  were  displayed  with  the  other  viands  upon 
the  swinging  table.  The  priest  and  his  wife — for  it 
is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  priesthood  of  the 
Greek  Catholic  Church  are  permitted  to  marry — 
having  blessed  the  food,  the  children,  of  which  there 
were  eight  or  nine  seated  in  different  corners  of  the 
room,  having  murmured  a  short  prayer  and  crossed 
themselves,  we  were  served.  I  must  not  forget  to 
mention  a  most  comfortable  and  ingenious  arrange- 
ment which  was  used  at  the  tea-drinking.  Suspended 
from  the  ceiling  were  two  or  three  small  strings  to 
which  were  tied  lumps  of  sugar  which  were  passed 
around  to  be  sucked  in  turn  by  each  member  of  the 
family. 

Being  quite  exhausted  and  covered  with  bruises, 
and  aching  in  every  bone,  for  I  was  literally  a 
tattooed  man  from  my  long  ride  in  the  jolting  cart, 
I  needed  no  narcotic,  and  a  few  minutes  after  my 
head  touched  the  pillow  I  fell  asleep.  When  I 
awoke  early  the  next  morning  I  sa\v  the  priest 
standing  before  the  little  altar,  which  was  close  by 
my  couch,  going  through  some  kind  of  matin  service 
in  the  most  religious  and  devout  way.  As  I  could 
not  understand  in  what  his  supplications  consisted, 
and  for  what  happiness  and  joy  he  gave  thanks  to 
ais  God,  I  arose  and  greeted  him  in  2  reverent 
and  obedient  manner,  while  he,  advancing  towards 
me,  blessed  me,  pressing  a  kiss  upon  my  forehead, 
giving  me  to  understand  that  I  was  absolved.  I 
then  tried  to  make  him  understand  that  I  had  been 
very  comfortably  housed,  and  desired  to  pay  him 


60  Reminiscences 

for  his  hospitality.  He  would  accept  nothing,  and, 
in  return  for  his  kindness,  I  made  my  offering  at 
the  altar  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  leaving  two  roubles, 
and  departing  with  the  assurance  that  I  was  in  no 
way  indebted  to  the  priest  or  the  deity  he  served. 

That  night  I  reached  Pleskov.  Should  I  describe 
the  city  of  Pleskov  by  anything  which  stamps  it  as 
differing  from  any  other  Russian  city  which  I  have 
visited,  and  if  I  should  choose  a  name  to  distinguish 
it,  I  should  call  Pleskov,  like  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  "A 
City  of  Churches,"  not  mentioning  its  narrow 
streets,  inartistic  buildings  and  dwellings,  the  dull- 
ness of  its  atmosphere  and  those  who  breathe  its  air, 
the  lazy  tread  of  young  and  old  alike,  the  sallowness 
which  was  then  so  noticeable  upon  every  face,  the 
lack  of  cleanliness  that  pervaded  the  whole  city,  and 
which  detracted  from  the  religious  ardor  which 
existed  everywhere.  Pleskov,  half  a  century  ago, 
was  alive  with  churches,  prayer-houses,  and  temples, 
the  streets  being  literally  studded  with  them.  At 
that  time  at  every  hundred  feet  there  was  some 
little  building  scarcely  wide  enough  to  admit  three 
persons  at  a  time,  and  only  a  few  yards  long,  which 
contained  an  altar  at  one  end  with  the  eternally 
burning  lamp  swinging  before  it,  a  little  bench  upon 
which  the  devout  visitor  could  say  his  prayer  un- 
disturbed, and  a  picture  or  two  of  some  patron  saint 
or  saintess.  Such  is  an  accurate  picture  of  the  inte- 
rior of  one  of  the  Pleskov  prayer-houses. 

It  is  customary  for  the  Russian  to  never  pass  a 
place  of  worship,  however  small,  without  entering 
it,  crossing  himself,  kneeling  down  and  silently 
offering  a  prayer.  He  then  goes  on  his  way,  entering 


Russia  and  Finland  61 

the  next  prayer-house  en  route  and  repeating 
the  performance,  until  his  walk  abroad  is  accom- 
plished. This  indomitable  zeal  of  the  Russian  was 
of  the  utmost  interest  to  me,  and  I  therefore  found 
great  pleasure  in  visiting  the  largest  church  in  the 
city.  I  was  surprised,  as  I  entered  its  wide  portals, 
to  see  the  stream  of  humanity  that  wandered  in 
quite  aimlessly :  men  with  their  kits  of  tools  and  in 
the  garb  of  the  workshop,  women  with  baskets 
heaped  high  with  fresh  vegetables  to  be  sold  later 
on.  These,  one  and  all,  reverently  knelt  about  the 
vast  edifice,  praying  in  front  of  either  pictures  of 
the  Holy  Family,  which  seemed  to  have  been 
painted  by  the  most  unskilful  artists,  or  small 
statues  roughly  hewn  from  stone,  quite  unlike  the 
artistic  ones  which  are  to  be  found  in  the  Roman 
Catholic  churches  in  other  parts  of  Europe. 

While  I  am  not  acquainted  with  the  calendar  of 
the  Russian  Church,  and  therefore  do  not  know  the 
history  of  that  vast  collection  of  saints,  or  what  they 
did  when  actively  engaged  in  this  life ;  what  moral 
characteristics  they  possessed  and  what  heroic  deeds 
they  performed  which  entitled  them  to  such  ever- 
lasting peace  and  prosperity ;  should  I  judge  their 
greatness  from  their  appearance,  I  am  forced  to 
admit  that  I  do  not  think  that  they  are  fair  subjects 
for  the  Elysian  and  congenial  companionship  of  such 
noted  beauties  as  Venus  and  Apollo.  The  most 
important  attraction  in  this  really  remarkable  col- 
lection was  a  large  coffin  of  stone  directly  in  front  of 
the  altar,  and  in  it  the  patron  saint  of  the  church, 
completely  covered  with  gold  and  precious  stones, 
about  which  crowds  of  devotees  surged,  sprinkling 


62  Reminiscences 

it  with  holy  water  and  crossing  themselves  in  the 
most  devout  manner. 

The  service  of  the  Greek  Church  then  consisted 
of  much  chanting  by  a  number  of  priests,  unaccom- 
panied by  organ.  A  continuous  tolling  of  the  bells 
in  the  tower  above  served  the  purpose,  and  quite 
covered  up  the  absence  of  this  more  sonorous  in- 
strument. While  there  was  something  very  monot- 
onous and  unusual  about  it,  I  do  not  believe  it  would 
be  a  great  inducement  to  converts  generally. 

The  guide  who  accompanied  me  was  very  versa- 
tile, speaking  German,  French,  and  English  besides 
his  native  Russian.  He  explained  at  great  length 
to  me  the  attractiveness  of  the  Greek  Church  and 
its  form  of  service,  and,  calling  my  attention  to  the 
bells,  he  suggested  a  visit  to  the  tower,  which  he 
said  contained  a  large  number  of  bells  which  were 
named,  each  for  a  patron  saint.  As  these  bells 
were  never  rung  for  their  intonation,  but  were  tolled 
by  men  and  boys  singly  and  in  concord,  and  as  it 
was  time  for  them  to  be  set  in  motion,  I  decided  to 
follow  him  to  the  belfry.  To  reach  this  high  place 
we  had  to  mount  a  narrow  spiral  staircase,  and  every 
seventy-five  steps  there  was  a  small  platform  where 
we  could  stop  and  get  our  breath  and  peep  out  upon 
the  city  below,  for  small  windows  admitted  light  at 
these  landings. 

When  I  looked  at  my  guide,  before  making  the 
ascent,  I  felt  a  little  doubt  as  to  whether  I  had  not 
better  go  up  alone,  for  there  was  something  very 
sinister  in  his  swarthy  face  and  his  dark  eyes  which 
never  met  mine  squarely ;  but  finally,  when  I  had 
taken  a  few  steps  up  the  uncanny  stairs,  I  concluded 


Russia  and  Finland  63 

to  trust  to  my  usual  good  luck,  and,  stepping  down, 
I  commanded  him  to  lead  the  way.  He,  prompted 
by  servitude  and  extreme  politeness,  stepped  aside, 
and  with  a  wave  of  his  hand  motioned  me  to  go 
first,  and  thus  we  started  up  the  dark,  narrow  stair- 
way. When  we  had  passed  the  first  landing,  where 
I  did  not  stop,  he  rudely  pressed  himself  between 
me  and  the  rope  which  served  as  a  rail,  under  the 
pretext  of  seeing  if  the  blinds  on  the  window  at  the 
next  landing  were  open,  and  in  doing  so  I  felt  a  tug 
at  my  watch-chain.  There  was  nothing  unusual  in 
this,  however,  owing  to  the  limited  space  in  which 
he  had  to  pass,  and  I  thought  nothing  of  it  until  we 
reached  the  second  platform.  Arriving  there,  I  was 
somewhat  out  of  breath,  and  as  it  was  light  I  un- 
consciously reached  for  my  watch  to  see  how  long 
we  had  been  in  making  about  half  the  distance. 
To  my  horror,  it  was  gone!  I  remembered  well 
having  looked  at  it  just  before  we  left  the  church 
below,  and  I  was  therefore  fully  convinced  that  I 
must  have  lost  it  while  making  the  ascent.  Like  a 
flash  it  dawned  upon  me  that  my  dangerous-looking 
guide  had  robbed  me  of  it  when  he  pressed  by  me 
on  the  dark  stairway,  and  that  the  tug  which  I  had 
felt  had  been  made  when  he  jerked  the  watch  from 
my  pocket. 

Knowing  the  insecurity  of  travel  in  Russia,  and 
the  peculiar  methods  of  the  country,  I  never  went 
unarmed,  and  a  loaded  pistol  was  always  in  my 
pocket,  so  I  did  not  hesitate  as  to  what  I  should  do, 
but  turning  to  the  man  I  said,  "  You  scoundrel! 
you  have  taken  my  watch,  and  you  had  better  hand 
it  over  to  me  at  once,"  whereupon  the  man  grew 


64  Reminiscences 

angry  and  lifted  his  arm  as  if  to  strike  me.  As  he 
did  so  I  whipped  out  my  pistol  and  covered  him ; 
his  arm  fell,  and  he,  too,  for  that  matter,  and  seizing 
me  by  the  knees  he  fairly  begged  me  not  to  shoot 
him,  kissing  my  feet  in  his  fright,  and  at  the  same 
time  he  offered  me  my  watch  and  chain.  I  did  not 
continue  my  ascent  up  to  the  belfry,  but  taking  my 
watch,  I  commanded  the  trembling  thief  to  rise,  and 
at  the  point  of  my  pistol  I  made  him  precede  me 
down  the  stairs. 

Feeling  now  that  I  would  enjoy  a  visit  to  some 
country  located  near  the  sea,  and  as  I  was  very  tired 
of  Russian  caviare,  onions,  tea,  and  the  frequent 
use  of  vodki,  I  went  to  Pernau,  and  took  passage  on 
a  vessel  bound  for  Finland,  where  I  hoped  to  sell 
lots  of  spectacles  and  study  music.  I  had  been  told 
that  Helsingfors  was  much  of  a  musical  centre,  and 
that  certain  celebrities  in  that  line  were  residing  and 
working  there,  so  that  apart  from  business  I  had  the 
promise  of  a  pleasant  and  instructive  visit.  One 
bright,  beautiful  day  in  summer  I  sailed  away  across 
the  Bay  of  Finland  for  Helsingfors.  The  un- 
fortunate affair  in  the  belfry  at  Pleskov,  and  my 
love  episode  at  Reval, — for  my  heart  still  ached, — 
had  something  to  do  with  the  highly  nervous  state 
in  which  I  found  myself  as  we  sailed  over  the  bay; 
but  the  cool  breezes,  so  pregnant  with  salt,  invigor- 
ated me,  acting  like  a  powerful  tonic,  and  I  must 
confess  that  I  felt  very  well  satisfied  with  my  posi- 
tion in  life.  It  was  a  complete  rest,  and  as  I  re- 
clined upon  the  deck  of  the  ship,  smoking  my 
long-stemmed  pipe,  which  was  filled  with  fragrant 
Turkish  tobacco,  and  in  the  quiet  and  peaceful 


Russia  and  Finland  65 

atmosphere,  I  threw  myself  into  a  state  of  profound 
meditation,  thinking  always  of  one  who  appeared 
before  my  imagination  as  in  a  halo,  and  I  drifted 
on  and  on  quite  aimlessly,  caring  little  where  I 
landed  or  what  goal  I  reached. 

There  was  actually  no  perspective  point  ahead,  no 
hopeful  thought  to  materialize,  but  I  knew  that  the 
future  would  bring  me  somewhere,  and  I  concluded 
to  drift  on,  for  I  had  nothing  more  in  life — all  my 
youth  and  happiness  seemed  gone.  I  deemed  it 
wise,  however,  to  stop  at  Helsingfors,  and  as  we 
were  nearing  that  port  I  heard  from  the  lower  deck 
the  tones  of  a  violoncello,  and  at  once  I  discovered 
that  the  player,  whoever  he  was,  was  a  very  skilful 
one.  After  listening  a  while  the  impression  became 
stronger,  and  when  I  stepped  down  the  stairway  and 
stood  in  front  of  the  cabin  from  which  the  magical 
strains  seemed  to  come,  I  realized  that  it  was  the 
grandest  'cello  playing  I  had  ever  heard.  While  the 
tones  of  the  instrument  were  of  a  powerful  and  elastic 
quality  in  the  adagio  in  which  the  artist  indulged,  I 
was  enraptured  when  a  movement  of  the  most  rapid 
passages  and  runs  greeted  my  ears. 

I  heard  the  ringing  of  the  bell  signalling  our 
arrival  at  Helsingfors,  and  warning  me  that  if  I  was 
to  disembark  I  had  no  time  to  lose;  but  I  stood 
there  spellbound  while  the  invisible  'cello  player 
must  have  been  so  wrapped  in  his  playing  as  not  to 
have  noticed  the  signal,  for  he  kept  on  with  his 
music.  Again  the  bell  rang  out,  and  it  was  now  for 
me  to  decide  whether  to  step  off  the  ship  or  to 
stand  in  front  of  the  cabin  door  and  listen  to  the 
magical  player;  and  as  he  increased  his  virtuosity, 

5 


66  Reminiscences 

and  as  I  felt  more  and-  more  interested  in  his  play- 
ing, I  concluded  to  pursue  my  journey  to  Abo- 
Bjorneborg.  As  our  ship  glided  out  of  the  port 
the  tones  of  the  'cello  grew  more  and  more  pathetic, 
and  I  stood  entranced,  rooted  to  the  spot. 

Finally,  the  music  ceased,  and  I  heard  the  heavy 
footsteps  of  a  man  walking  around  the  cabin.  The 
door  almost  immediately  opened,  and  there  stood 
before  me  he  whose  playing  had  so  moved  me.  I 
stepped  up  to  him  at  once,  introduced  myself,  and 
in  a  voice  tremulous  with  emotion  expressed  my 
admiration  and  delight  for  his  wonderful  playing. 
He  received  me  most  graciously  and,  after  thanking 
me  for  my  kind  expressions,  invited  me  into  his 
cabin,  showing  me  his  beautiful  Cremona  violoncello 
which  he  considered  as  dear  to  him  as  life  itself.  I 
shall  always  remember  how  he  handled  that  instru- 
ment, his  love  and  reverence  for  it ;  how  he  fondled 
and  caressed  it  as  his  hand  glided  over  its  beautiful 
neck,  and  when  his  bow  began  to  vibrate  across  the 
strings  how  he  spoke,  with  an  almost  childlike  love, 
of  its  exquisite  tone;  how  the  quality  charmed  his 
ear,  soothed  his  heart,  and  pacified  the  longings  of 
his  soul. 

He  certainly  was  a  musician  by  the  grace  of  God, 
who  had  in  some  immaculate  form  entered  into  the 
depths  of  the  very  nature  of  the  instrument,  and 
who  must  have  trained  his  fingers  into  the  weary 
hours  of  the  night.  I  asked  him  his  name,  and  he 
told  me  it  was  Karl  Gradener,  that  he  was  Musi- 
cal Director  of  the  University  at  Keil,  and  was 
on  a  visit  to  his  native  city,  Helsingfors ;  so  I  said : 
"  Herr  Kapellmeister,  why  did  n't  you  then  stop  at 


Russia  and  Finland  67 

Helsingfors  ? ' '  He  looked  at  me  with  great  sur- 
prise, opening  wide  his  dark-blue  eyes,  as  he  re- 
plied, "  Stop  at  Helsingfors!  Why,  what  do  you 
mean  ?  I  have  put  up  my  'cello  to  make  ready  to 
disembark."  Then  I  told  him  that  we  were  some 
distance  from  the  port,  and  that  I,  enchanted  by 
his  playing,  had  concluded  to  follow  him  and  his 
'cello.  He  seemed  pacified,  for,  grasping  my  hand, 
he  thanked  me  again  and  again  for  my  words  of 
admiration  and  my  sacrifice  to  art,  and  expressed 
himself  as  fully  rewarded  for  failing  to  get  off  at 
Helsingfors.  We  chatted,  and  he  played  for  me 
until  Abo  was  reached,  and  I  was  for  the  time  the 
happy  Scheinfeld  boy  again. 

At  Abo  we  said  good-bye,  he  going  back  to  Hel- 
singfors and  I  up  into  the  quaint  town,  which  in- 
terested me  greatly  as  I  walked  along  its  streets. 
To  divert :  By  a  strange  coincidence,  when  in  Vienna 
in  1892,  I  was  one  day  talking  with  a  number  of 
musicians  on  the  Prater  when  the  Kapellmeister  of 
the  orchestra  and  also  Professor  in  the  Conservatory 
of  Music  was  presented  to  me.  His  name,  Hermann 
Gradener,  awoke  within  me  the  memorable  trip  to 
Finland,  and  I  told  him  of  it,  asking  if  the  magical 
'cello  player  was  a  relative.  Whereupon  he  told 
me  that  the  man  was  none  other  than  his  father, 
and  that  he  had  died  in  Hamburg  in  1883. 

But  to  return  to  Abo:  Everything  appeared 
clean  and  inviting,  the  shops  were  filled  with  attrac- 
tive goods,  and,  above  all,  I  was  surprised  to  find 
both  sexes  of  light  complexion  ;  not  one  dark-haired 
person  did  I  meet.  I  have  since  thought  that  Fin- 
land would  be  an  Eldorado  for  the  gentlemen  of 


68  Reminiscences 

the  bald-headed  row  of  our  New  York  playhouses 
where  the  bill  is  of  the  burlesque  order,  for  the  Abo 
maidens  had  hair  of  all  shades  of  yellow,  from  a 
light  gold  to  a  vivid  flame  color,  the  red  head  being 
much  in  evidence,  though  without  the  accompany- 
ing white  horse.  The  bald-headed  theatre-goers 
would,  in  addition,  find  ample  opportunity  to  study 
those  blue-eyed  maidens,  who  were  at  the  time  of 
my  visit  as  merry  as  the  little  mountain  maids  in 
Adonis.  I  immediately  proceeded  to  fall  in  love, 
not  with  one,  but  with  the  entire  collection,  and  I 
made  up  my  mind  that  I  would  devote  a  small  share 
of  my  musical  art  to  the  glorification  of  the  beauti- 
ful blondes  of  Abo,  Finland. 

I  found  a  good  hotel,  where  I  had  excellent  ac- 
commodations, and  as  evening  came  I  was  greatly 
surprised  to  find  that  obstinate  day  remained,  with- 
out giving  Luna  a  chance  to  display  her  charms  and 
displace  old  Sol.  There  is  no  night  in  the  Finland 
summer,  and  words  are  inadequate  to  describe  the 
pleasure  which  I  felt  in  thus  turning  night  into  day, 
and  unconsciously  I  spent  the  entire  first  night  of 
my  visit  serenading  the  blondes,  accompanied  by  a 
flute  player  whom  I  met  at  the  hotel  and  who  was 
enamored  of  their  charms. 

My  short  stay  in  Finland  was  of  untold  value  to 
me,  as  I  did  a  remarkable  business  in  fitting  the 
blondes  with  spectacles  and  lorgnettes,  so  that  when 
the  time  came  for  my  departure  I  felt  loath  to  leave 
a  country  where  there  was  such  a  maximum  amount 
of  pleasure  for  a  minimum  outlay  of  the  coin  of  the 
realm.  My  mental  buttons  were,  however,  so  bright 
from  the  fish  which  had  formed  the  principal  part  of 


Russia  and  Finland  69 

my  diet,  that  I  felt  myself  equal  to  any  emergency, 
and  decided  to  join  Aischmann  and  Richter  in  St. 
Petersburg,  where  their  business  had  flourished,  and 
from  whom  I  had  received  several  notices,  telling 
me  that  I  was  needed  in  their  shop  in  that  city. 
Without  further  delay  I  hastened  to  the  Russian 
capital,  which  pleased  me  greatly  when  I  beheld  it 
in  the  distance,  and  much  more  when  I  wandered 
about  its  streets  and  mingled  with  its  people. 


CHAPTER  IV 

St.  Petersburg — Return  to  Coblenz — A  Few  Weeks  in  France — A 
Voyage  on  the  Sailing  Vessel  Jenny  Lind — To  America — Ar- 
rival in  New  York  City — Trip  on  Foot  through  Eastern  New 
York  State— Pittsfield  and  Lenox 

THE  world-renowned  street,  the  Nevski  Prospekt, 
which  begins  at  Admiralty  Square,  is  one  of 
the  finest  in  Europe,  and  is  130  feet  broad  and  about 
four  miles  long.  It  is  lined  upon  either  side  with 
trees,  palaces,  colossal  buildings,  public  institutions, 
temples,  and  churches — all  vying  with  one  another 
in  their  splendor,  and  showing  the  outgrowth  of  a 
modern  style  of  architecture.  Here  I  for  the  first 
time  saw  modern  pavements. 

Our  establishment  was  situated  upon  the  fascinat- 
ing Nevski  Prospekt,  in  one  of  the  largest  buildings, 
with  an  interior  courtyard.  There  must  have  been 
hundreds  of  families  residing  there,  for  connected 
with  the  establishment  was  a  director  who  looked 
after  the  dwellers.  He  was  the  first  person  to  call 
upon  me,  for  the  purpose  of  having  me  enter  my 
name  in  the  house-register.  I  was  told  that  this 
register  would  be  handed  to  the  Police  Department, 
and  that  I  would  soon  receive  a  notification  to  appear 
before  Count  Orloff. 

70 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         71 

The  summons  came  shortly,  and  I  hastened  to 
present  myself  before  this  august  personage.  The 
great  official  into  whose  presence  I  was  admitted, 
and  who  had  already  been  informed  of  my  national- 
ity, age,  business,  and  the  probable  length  of  my 
stay,  spoke  to  me  very  kindly,  looking  me  over  from 
head  to  foot,  and  asking  me  numerous  and  pointed 
questions.  These  interrogations  caused  me  no 
surprise,  as  I  knew  that  I  was  in  the  domain  of  the 
great  Nicholas  I.,  who  was  the  ruler  of  many  mil- 
lions of  freemen  and  more  slaves,  for  serfdom  was 
then  in  existence.  I  evidently  satisfied  the  official, 
for  I  left  the  building  with  a  certificate  endorsing 
me  from  the  secret  police,  and  I  at  once  proceeded 
to  the  Police  Department  proper,  where  I  was  given 
a  document  permitting  me  to  stay  in  St.  Petersburg. 
I  have  briefly  explained  the  means  of  obtaining 
this  precious  paper,  but  I  must  add  that  I  was  put 
to  considerable  trouble  and  expense,  for  not  only 
the  first  official  had  to  be  liberally  feed,  but  so  on 
down  the  long  line,  passing  seven  or  eight  different 
stations  before  reaching  the  goal  where  the  permit 
was  finally  awarded. 

Our  shop  was  a  very  attractive  one,  and  we  re- 
ceived calls  from  the  highest  circles,  for  we  were 
really  experts  in  our  line,  and  our  fine  goods  soon 
obtained  a  favorable  recognition  among  the  £lite  of 
the  city.  It  is  a  strange  thing  that  prominent  men 
and  women,  influenced  from  birth  by  the  highest 
motives  as  to  morality  and  good  breeding,  should 
ever  deviate  from  their  original  intentions  and 
actions  so  as  to  fall  from  grace,  and  it  is  a  surprising 
fact  that  what  I  have  to  relate  here  should  be  in 


72  Reminiscences 

concord  with  the  foregoing.  A  Major-General  of 
the  Imperial  Russian  Army  one  day  entered  our 
shop  for  the  purpose  of  buying  a  pair  of  eye- 
glasses. The  General  was  a  man  of  advanced  years, 
and  his  appearance  proclaimed  him  a  member  of  the 
nobility.  His  commanding  presence,  his  handsome 
military  coat,  covered  with  numerous  and  costly 
decorations,  showed  him  to  be  a  person  of  impor- 
tance in  military  as  well  as  court  circles.  The  Gen- 
eral addressed  us  in  French,  and  asked  Mr.  Richter, 
who,  by  the  way,  was  a  brilliant  French  scholar,  to 
show  him  some  eye-glasses.  Mr.  Richter,  recogniz- 
ing in  the  General  a  most  distinguished  man,  took 
from  the  show-case  a  tray  of  expensive  eye-glasses 
and  lorgnettes  mounted  in  heavy  gold  frames — the 
tray  containing  several  dozen  pairs.  The  General 
tried  on  first  one  pair,  then  another,  but  did  not  find 
what  he  wanted,  and  asked  to  be  shown  some  that 
were  mounted  in  tortoise-shell.  Mr.  Richter  turned 
to  another  section  of  the  place,  in  the  rear  of  the 
store,  leaving  the  tray  of  goods  he  was  showing  on 
the  counter,  and  while  he  was  engaged  in  taking 
out  a  tray  of  tortoise-shell  eye-glasses  I,  standing 
near  him  but  facing  the  General,  saw  the  General 
take  two  of  the  most  expensive  lorgnettes  from  the 
first  tray,  and  in  a  nonchalant  manner  slip  them  into 
his  coat  pocket. 

I  was  astounded,  and  it  was  with  difficulty  that  I 
restrained  my  impatience  until  Mr.  Richter  had 
secured  the  tray  for  which  he  was  searching.  As 
he  started  to  take  it  to  the  customer  I  motioned 
to  him  to  step  into  a  corner  away  from  him,  and 
I  then  mentioned  what  I  had  seen.  Richter  was 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         73 

much  older  than  I  was,  and  a  man  of  cool  and  de- 
liberate mind,  and  he  whispered  that  it  was  all  right 
and  that  he  would  attend  to  it.  Going  back  to  the 
General,  he  showed  him  the  tortoise-shell  mounts, 
but  they  were  not  just  what  he  wanted,  and  so  he 
left  without  making  a  purchase,  promising  to  call 
again  another  day.  As  he  was  going  out  of  the 
door,  Mr.  Richter,  in  a  most  polite  and  obedient 
manner,  requested  him  to  leave  his  name  and  address, 
which  he  did,  taking  out  his  visiting  card  and  hand- 
ing it  to  him.  After  the  General's  departure  I  said 
to  Mr.  Richter,  "  Why  did  you  allow  him  to  leave 
without  paying  for  those  lorgnettes  ?"  whereupon 
Richter  began  to  laugh,  saying:  "  That  's  nothing, 
Moritz;  he  is  a  well-known  thief,  and  will  not  be 
surprised  or  offended  when  he  receives  a  bill  for  the 
lorgnettes  to-morrow  morning,  and  he  will  promptly 
settle  by  sending  his  check.  To  call  his  attention 
to  the  theft  at  this  time  would  never  bring  us  the 
money,  but  would  rather  bring  our  firm  into  many 
legal  controversies  which  would  cost  us  twice  as 
much  as  the  articles  are  worth  and  involve  us  in  in- 
explicable complications  which  would  prove  disas- 
trous to  our  future  business."  Just  as  Richter  said, 
the  General  sent  us  a  check  a  few  days  afterwards, 
and  we  were  not  troubled  by  him  again. 

I  must  now  recall  the  well-known  fact  that  the 
winter  and  even  the  early  spring  days  are  frightfully 
cold  in  St.  Petersburg,  and  while  people  in  conse- 
quence drink  the  strongest  liquors,  a  good  cup  of 
tea  is  a  very  desirable  and  popular  beverage ;  and  for 
this  reason  St.  Petersburg  has  a  large  number  of  tea- 
houses where  people  sit  and  enjoy  a  cup  of  the  best 


74  Reminiscences 

tea  in  the  world.  These  tea-houses  are  also  pro- 
vided with  pipes  with  long  stems  and  a  jar  of  fine 
Turkish  tobacco,  and  along  with  the  cup  of  tea  it  is 
quite  au  fait  to  smoke  and  indulge  in  a  game  of 
billiards,  for  every  tea-house  has  several  fine  billiard 
tables.  Every  visitor  to  St.  Petersburg  finds  this  a 
delightful  recreation,  and  spends  an  hour  or  more  in 
the  tea-house  daily,  reading  the  papers,  smoking, 
and  forming  pleasant  acquaintances  and  friendships. 
I  always  spent  some  portion  of  the  day  in  a  tea- 
house, and  one  evening  I  entered  one  of  the  more 
fashionable  ones.  I  was  quite  alone,  though  I 
noticed  as  I  left  my  house  that  a  gentleman  was 
leisurely  but  carefully  following  me.  I  would  prob- 
ably not  have  observed  him  had  he  not  been  a  man 
of  unusual  appearance,  and  one  who  controlled  his 
actions  in  accordance  to  mine.  His  presence  was 
readily  perceived  when  I  entered  the  tea-house,  and 
even  more  when  he  seated  himself  close  to  me  and 
almost  immediately  opened  conversation  with  me. 
I  recognized  in  him  a  gentleman  of  refinement,  and 
he  must  have  known  that  I  was  a  stranger  in  the  city 
because  he  called  my  attention  to  the  fact,  and 
offered  his  services  should  I  ever  wish  to  avail  my- 
self of  them.  I  thanked  him  for  his  kindness  and 
interest,  and  admitted  that  I  was  a  stranger,  where- 
upon he  asked  me  where  I  resided,  what  was  the 
motive  of  my  visit  to  the  capital,  and,  finally,  my 
nationality.  Like  a  flash  my  suspicions  became 
aroused,  but  I  was  guided  by  the  fact  that  at  that 
time  there  existed  in  Russia  an  intolerable  system 
of  espionage,  and  that  every  man  must  expect  to 
be  accosted  and  called  upon  to  give  some  personal 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         75 

account  of  his  doings.  It  was  this  that  prompted  me 
to  respond  affably  to  his  questions,  conveying  to 
him  the  fact  that  I  was  entirely  without  hidden 
motives.  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  my  investiga- 
tor received  a  healthy  impression  of  my  intentions, 
for  when  we  had  finished  smoking  our  pipes  he 
wished  me  good-evening  and  left  the  tea-house. 

Easter  dawned  in  the  beautiful  capital  cold  and 
dreary,  for  the  Russian  calendar  prescribes  an  early 
Easter.  As  I  walked  up  the  Nevski  Prospekt  I  met 
a  big  fellow,  a  tea-seller,  who  had  a  large  tray  hang- 
ing in  front  of  him,  which  was  suspended  from  straps 
around  his  neck,  and  upon  which  was  a  samovar  full 
of  steaming  hot  tea.  With  a  glad  cry  he  rushed  at 
me,  and  before  I  could  collect  myself  kissed  me 
again  and  again,  embracing  me  with  his  long  arms 
as  much  as  the  tray  in  front  would  permit  of  his 
doing,  and  crying  out  greetings  in  Russian.  Greatly 
annoyed,  I  was  about  to  knock  him  down  for  his 
impertinence,  when  it  was  explained  to  me  that 
upon  Easter  every  one  has  the  privilege  of  kissing 
one  another  and  that  I  must  expect  many  such  en- 
counters if  I  promenaded  the  Nevski  Prospekt. 

St.  Petersburg  offered  many  and  manifold  attrac- 
tions pertaining  to  art  and  science,  and  there  I  heard 
the  most  wonderful  and  unique  musical  performance 
I  have  ever  listened  to.  It  was  a  concert  by  a  Rus- 
sian brass  band  which  was  entirely  Russian  in  its 
characteristics.  When  I  tell  you  that  it  was  artistic 
I  do  not  mean  that  every  performer  was  a  skilful 
player  upon  his  instrument,  for  he  could  play  only 
one  note,  and  this  band,  therefore,  had  fifty  per- 
formers, each  instrument  giving  out  just  one  single 


76  Reminiscences 

tone.  It  was  artistic,  however,  in  its  skilful  manipu- 
lation, consisting  in  that  each  performer  must  be  on 
the  watch  so  as  to  be  ready  when  called  upon  to 
produce  his  note,  for  if  there  was  a  chromatic  it  re- 
quired just  thirteen  people  to  play  it,  and  as  the 
obtaining  of  that  note  must  have  been  facile,  it 
must,  to  speak  paradoxically,  have  been  difficult 
for  the  performer  to  get  in  at  the  proper  time. 
These  one-toned  performers  were  not  musicians,  but 
they  must  have  been  trained  by  an  artist;  and,  if 
my  memory  is  not  much  at  fault,  their  leader  was 
none  other  than  Joseph  Gungl'.  Though  the  diffi- 
culties of  such  a  performance  may  be  easily  under- 
stood, I  was  greatly  charmed  with  the  tone  coloring 
and  really  skilful  execution  of  national  airs,  waltzes, 
dances,  and  marches  which  they  rendered.  The 
members  of  the  band  were  Russian  peasants  or  serfs, 
who  were  undoubtedly  not  initiated  in  the  art  of 
music. 

I  had  also  the  opportunity  of  attending  some  fine 
performances  at  the  Opera  Italianski,  hearing  among 
other  operas  Meyerbeer's  Robert  Le  Diable,  and  what 
a  magnificent  performance  it  was !  The  great  Fanny 
Persian!  as  prima  donna,  Mme.  Grisi  as  second 
donna,  Mario  as  tenor,  and  some  other  well-known 
singers  of  that  time  whose  names  I  have  forgotten ; 
and  such  a  fine  orchestra  under  the  baton  of  Maurer! 
It  seemed  to  me  that  every  musician  was  an  artist, 
and  as  the  opera  was  entirely  under  the  patronage 
and  support  of  the  Emperor,  these  musicians  re- 
ceived a  pension  for  life  after  a  limited  service  in 
the  orchestra.  I  formed  the  acquaintance  of  sev- 
eral of  the  members  of  this  remarkable  band,  and 


St.  Petersburg  and  America        77 

played  at  various  times  the  cello'  part  in  string 
quartets,  while  I  was  fortunate  in  receiving  a  few 
lessons  from  Carl  Schubert,  the  great  violoncellist. 

On  account  of  the  perilous  journey  into  Russia, 
the  health  of  my  employer,  Mr.  Aischmann,  became 
broken,  and  the  severity  of  the  Russian  climate 
had  already  made  such  inroads  upon  his  weakened 
constitution  that  he  was  told  by  his  physician  that 
it  would  be  suicide  for  him  to  remain  longer,  so  he 
sold  out  his  business  to  advantage,  leaving  Mr. 
Richter  with  the  purchaser  as  manager,  while  to- 
gether we  left  for  Germany.  It  was  early  in  the 
spring  when  we  set  out  from  St.  Petersburg  by  dili- 
gence, our  accommodations  having  previously  been 
booked,  Mr.  Aischmann  occupying  an  inside  seat 
for  which  he  was  forced  to  pay  double,  while  I  rode 
outside  by  the  driver.  The  proceeds  of  the  sale  of 
the  business  were  carried  by  Mr.  Aischmann  in  a 
leather  bag,  hung  from  a  belt  around  his  waist. 
We  had  been  travelling  some  few  days  and  nights 
when  we  drew  up  before  a  station  for  dinner.  We 
alighted,  and  Mr.  Aischmann,  unbuckling  his  belt, 
took  off  the  bag  containing  his  money,  and  placing 
it  upon  a  chair  beside  him  sat  down  and  enjoyed  his 
dinner. 

As  the  time  was  limited,  we  hastened  our  meal, 
and  when  the  horn  of  the  postilion  gave  the  signal 
for  the  start,  Aischmann  hurriedly  swallowed  his  tea 
and  made  for  the  diligence.  I  followed,  and  with  a 
blast  from  the  horn  and  a  crack  from  the  long  whip 
the  fresh  horses  started  and  we  galloped  away,  the  bag 
of  money  left  behind  upon  the  chair  in  the  station. 
We  had  covered  perhaps  a  mile  of  the  road  when  we 


78  Reminiscences 

were  brought  to  a  standstill  by  a  blood-curdling  cry 
from  inside  the  diligence.  Stopping  and  running 
back,  expecting  to  find  some  one  dead,  we  beheld 
the  pallid  face  of  Aischmann,  who  told  us  that  he 
had  left  his  money  at  the  station,  and  he  implored 
the  driver  to  turn  around  and  drive  back  for  it.  His 
distress  was  so  great  that  it  excited  the  sympathy 
of  the  other  passengers,  and  a  general  request  was 
made  to  the  driver ;  but  he  remained  obdurate,  de- 
clining to  go  back,  giving  as  his  reason  that  he 
would  receive  a  heavy  fine  if  he  did  so,  besides  los- 
ing his  position.  A  gentleman  who  understood  the 
Russian  language  thoroughly  then  made  another 
strong  appeal  to  the  man,  and  by  means  of  a  large 
bribe  and  the  promise  to  keep  the  affair  quiet,  we 
returned,  and  my  employer  and  myself  in  a  state  of 
great  excitement  rushed  into  the  room  where  we 
had  but  a  short  time  before  dined,  and  greatly  to 
our  surprise  and  joy  found  the  table  undisturbed,  no 
one  in  the  room,  and  the  money-bag  upon  the  chair 
where  Mr.  Aischmann  had  placed  it. 

After  a  long  and  tedious  journey,  day  and  night, 
we  finally  reached  the  German  frontier.  I  felt  very 
happy  when  I  realized  that  I  was  away  from  the 
kingdom  of  the  Czar,  and  as  my  brother  Louis  with 
his  family  had  moved  from  Scheinfeld  to  Coblenz,  I 
directed  my  steps  thither  in  the  company  of  my  late 
employer.  As  I  was  about  twenty-two,  and  had 
accumulated  some  money,  and  as  I  was  fond  of 
roving  about,  I  concluded  to  engage  in  the  hop  busi- 
ness with  my  brother.  I  asked  him  one  day  if  he 
did  not  think  that  I  might  make  a  profitable  trip 
through  France,  visiting  the  cities  where  there  were 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         79 

large  brewing  establishments,  where  I  had  been 
told  hops  were  in  demand.  Louis  agreed  with  me, 
and  I  started  out  as  a  dealer  in  hops.  I  must 
confess  right  here  that  I  was  not  a  success,  for 
to  be  successful  in  the  hop  business  one  must  be 
able  to  drink  a  lot  of  beer,  and  though  I  was  not 
adverse  to  drinking  beer  in  moderate  quantities, 
I  could  not  be  a  professional  beer-drinker  and  pre- 
serve my  general  health ;  so  that  while  I  did  not 
lose  money  I  did  not  make  any,  and  I  returned  to 
Coblenz  after  visiting  Strasbourg,  Lille,  Tours,  Poi- 
tiers, Rheims,  Paris,  Orleans,  and  other  cities. 

In  Paris  I  had  a  most  delightful  time,  revelling  in 
art  and  music,  and  meeting  many  artists  in  the 
dramatic  and  musical  world.  One  day,  when  I  was 
strolling  along  the  Boulevard  des  Italiens,  looking 
into  the  attractive  shop-windows,  I  felt  a  heavy 
hand  on  my  shoulder  and  heard  the  words,  "  Gott 
set  dank!  "  and  turning  I  beheld  my  old  friend, 
Herr  Jost,  the  chocolate  manufacturer,  whose  mag- 
nificent estate  I  had  visited  in  Switzerland.  The 
old  gentleman  fairly  embraced  me,  and  told  me  that 
he  had  lost  his  pocket-book,  and  had  no  one  to 
whom  he  could  apply  for  funds:  he  was  in  despair 
and  begged  the  loan  of  a  small  sum  of  money. 
Gladly  I  gave  the  rich  old  gentleman  from  the 
Engadine  what  he  asked  for,  and  he  told  me  to 
meet  him  at  nine  the  next  morning  at  one  of  the 
cafe's  for  breakfast  and  for  the  return  of  the  loan. 
I  was  there  at  the  appointed  time,  and  Herr  Jost 
and  a  friend  whom  he  had  fortunately  found  enter- 
tained me  royally,  and  I  received  back  my  loan. 

Returning  to  Coblenz,  I  decided  to  rest  for  a  while, 


8o  Reminiscences 

as  there  seemed  to  be  no  more  worlds  for  me  to  con- 
quer in  Europe.  While  living  there,  assisting  my 
brother,  I  met  a  most  accomplished  young  woman, 
a  Miss  Dreyfuss  from  Alsace-Lorraine,  a  governess 
in  an  American  family,  and  I  was  quite  charmed 
with  her  dignified  presence  and  intellectuality.  We 
frequently  met  at  the  house  of  mutual  friends,  and 
while  I  admired  her  I  did  not  feel  inclined  to  settle 
down  just  then,  and  Marie  still  held  possession  o:T 
my  heart.  One  day,  in  a  restless  state  of  mind,  I 
told  my  good  mother,  who  lived  with  my  brother 
Louis,  of  my  unrest,  adding  that  I  thought  that  fate 
had  decreed  that  I  was  not  to  taste  the  joys  of  pros- 
perity. She  was  at  that  time  reading  Uncle  Toms 
Cabin,  which  had  just  come  out,  and  she  must  have 
been  somewhat  affected  by  the  graphic  descriptions 
of  Mrs.  Harriet  Beecher  Stowe,  for  she  pointed  to 
America  and  the  United  States  as  a  land  that  would 
perhaps  recompense  a  young  man  who  was  earnestly 
inclined  to  work,  and  while  she  loved  me  as  a  good 
mother  loves  her  son,  she  showed  courage  in  deny- 
ing herself  the  privilege  of  having  me  near  to  soothe 
and  comfort  her  latter  days,  in  advising  me  to  sail 
across  the  ocean  and  seek  my  fortune  in  the  United 
States. 

It  is  perhaps  an  astonishing  fact,  that  while  I  had 
been  a  constant  traveller,  I  could  not  find  rest  for 
any  length  of  time  anywhere ;  in  fact,  to  look  at  the 
same  faces,  to  hear  the  same  voices,  to  live  in  any 
one  place  was,  for  me,  simply  an  impossibility,  an 
ardent  desire  for  travel  driving  me  on  without  aim ; 
so  I  concluded  to  take  passage  on  the  sailing  vessel 
Jenny  Lind,  bound  for  New  York.  Through  the 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         81 

intercession  of  my  relatives  in  Coblenz,  I  succeeded 
in  obtaining  a  berth  in  the  captain's  cabin,  and  also 
such  privileges  as  went  with  it, — food  from  his  table, 
etc.  The  ship  was  crowded  with  emigrants,  princi- 
pally families  of  peasants  and  mechanics,  going  to  a 
new  land  to  seek  their  fortune.  We  had  a  very 
stormy  passage,  and  were  a  month  in  crossing  the 
ocean.  I  was  hardly  upon  the  water  when,  having 
paid  my  tribute  to  Neptune,  I  was  seized  with  an 
intense  longing  for  home  and,  in  spite  of  the  hard- 
ships endured  in  Switzerland  and  Russia,  I  cried  in 
my  loneliness,  and  longed  to  again  set  foot  upon 
my  native  soil.  A  tremendous  rain-storm  set  in  as 
we  entered  the  port  of  New  York,  and  it  was  still 
pouring  when  we  landed.  The  confusion  of  the 
restless  passengers  in  securing  their  goods,  such  as 
were  packed  in  rude  chests,  trunks,  baskets,  boxes, 
and  bags  was  simply  frightful,  and  the  officers  could 
not  control  them,  and  this  must  have  been  the 
reason  that  my  luggage  either  became  lost  or  was 
taken  by  mistake  before  I  could  claim  it.  My  search 
for  it  in  the  drenching  rain  and  my  anxiety  to  find 
it  will  never  be  forgotten.  Fortunately,  on  account 
of  the  honesty  of  one  of  the  peasants,  I  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  recovering  my  trunk,  but  the  gift  of  my 
good  sister  Babetta,  which  was  a  large  hamper  of 
Seltzer  water  from  the  original  spring,  put  up  in 
stone  jugs,  was  lost,  and  I  hope  it  gave  great  pleas- 
ure to  the  fellow  who  took  it  away. 

The  state  of  my  purse  after  paying  my  passage 
and  investing  a  certain  sum  in  optical  goods  was 
very  meagre,  and  when  I  stepped  on  shore  in  New 
York  City  I  had  but  five  francs  in  the  world,  and 

6 


82  Reminiscences 

was  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  while  my  knowl- 
edge of  English  was  quite  in  keeping  with  my 
purse.  After  securing  my  trunk  I  sold  my  mattress 
which  I  had  used  on  the  passage,  and  then,  directed 
by  some  runner,  I  started  for  Greenwich  Street.  I 
must  say,  that  while  I  had  been  in  many  poor  hotels 
during  my  travels  over  Europe,  aside  from  the  rude 
hut  at  Chavli,  my  lodging  in  Greenwich  Street 
was  incomparable,  for  it  was  simply  wretched.  The 
next  day  I  decided  to  pawn  my  watch  and  with  the 
money  seek  respectable  lodgings.  Consequently  I 
hastened  to  a  pawnsh«p  kept  by  a  man  named 
Simpson,  and,  securing  a  loan  of  ten  dollars,  directed 
my  steps  to  East  Broadway,  where  I  was  told  I 
would  find  a  good  boarding-house.  There  I  found 
a  charming  home  presided  over  by  a  woman  of  re- 
finement, who  had  recently  arrived  in  this  country 
with  her  husband  from  Munich,  where  he  had  been 
engaged  in  the  banking  business,  but  on  account  of 
various  reverses  had  lost  the  greater  part  of  his 
fortune.  Mrs.  L.,  who  was  of  a  kind  and  sympa- 
thetic disposition,  and  who  also  had  a  fine  family  of 
children  of  about  my  age,  gave  me  the  assistance  and 
the  motherly  advice  which  I  needed  in  a  land  where 
I  was  homeless,  friendless,  penniless,  and  alone. 
The  many  experiences  gathered  in  the  Old  World, 
and  the  sorrows  which  I  had  been  called  upon  to 
pass  through  and  which  had  never  before  embodied 
themselves  to  such  an  extent  as  to  overpower  me, 
now  stood  before  me  like  grim  spectres,  and  their 
sadness  simply  crushed  me.  There  seemed  to  be 
no  hope  to  guide  me,  and  I  must  ever  remember  the 
good  landlady  who,  when  all  seemed  so  dark,  spoke 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         83 

tender  words  of  encouragement  and  expressed  her 
confidence  in  my  ability  to  succeed.  Being  com- 
fortably settled  and  housed,  I  had  to  make  my  plans 
for  my  support:  this  consisted  in  knowing  that  I 
possessed  a  limited  stock  of  optical  goods,  which  I 
feared  I  would  have  difficulty  in  selling,  and  also 
a  musical  knowledge,  which  I  might  utilize. 

After  carefully  thinking  the  matter  over,  I  decided 
to  try  and  dispose  of  some  of  my  wares,  which,  as 
I  had  anticipated,  was  no  easy  matter,  for  I  could 
not  speak  English,  and  I  realized  by  this  time 
that  success  in  selling  goods  depended  very  largely 
upon  the  way  they  were  offered  to  the  buyer.  I 
therefore  appealed  to  the  daughter  of  my  good 
landlady,  asking  her  to  teach  me  a  few  sentences  of 
English  which  would  serve  me  in  a  business  way. 
Having  obtained  a  very  diminutive  knowledge  of 
that  language,  I  sallied  forth  down-town  with  the 
object  of  searching  out  German  names  upon  signs, 
where  I  could  offer  my  goods  in  my  native  tongue. 
I  think  that  I  acted  wisely  in  selecting  places  kept 
by  German  merchants,  and,  while  I  did  not  meet 
with  unbounded  success,  I  sold  a  few  pairs  of  eye- 
glasses before  night,  and  my  profits  enabled  me  to 
defray  the  few  expenses  I  had  incurred.  I  did  not, 
however,  grow  rich,  and  the  very  method  I  had  to 
pursue  in  entering  offices  was  disgusting  to  me;  and 
as  the  warm  days  of  spring  approached  and  the  heat 
of  the  metropolis  affected  me,  I  concluded  that  I 
could  follow  my  vocation  in  a  more  dignified  and 
agreeable  manner  in  the  adjacent  country. 

There  was  living- at  the  same  house  with  me  a 
young  lad  who  had  but  recently  arrived  in  this 


84  Reminiscences 

country,  and  his  social  position  and  knowledge  of 
English  was  in  keeping  with  mine.  The  similarity 
of  our  positions  prompted  me  to  talk  over  the  situa- 
tion with  him ;  and  as  Mr.  Rau  sympathized  with  me 
as  much  as  I  did  with  him  we  soon  became  firm 
friends,  and  having  no  incumbrances,  we  concluded 
to  travel  together.  He  had  a  small  supply  of  fancy 
goods,  while  I  had  my  case  of  optical  goods, — a  fine 
combination  surely.  Fortunately,  at  that  time  there 
was  a  strong  competition  between  two  boats  run- 
ning between  New  York  City  and  Albany,  and  as 
each  of  them  was  determined  to  outdo  the  other  in 
carrying  a  large  number  of  passengers,  we  were  told, 
by  those  who  were  in  position  to  know,  that  for  the 
cheap  class  of  travellers  free  passage  was  given  by 
one  of  them.  So  one  day  we  embarked  from  New 
York  City,  taking  the  boat  that  charged  noth- 
ing, reaching  Albany  early  the  next  morning.  Leav- 
ing the  boat,  we  at  once  started  out  into  the 
country. 

It  was  a  beautiful  day,  and  as  we  walked  along 
we  felt  privileged  to  have  been  able  to  get  away 
from  the  heat  of  the  city.  We  carried  our  wares 
with  us,  I  having  my  spectacles  in  a  case,  and  my 
companion  his  fancy  goods  in  a  small  black  box. 
Our  English  teacher  had  written  out  a  list  of  sen- 
tences such  as — "  Good-morning,  sir,  or  madame," 
to  be  used  when  we  entered  a  house,  and  "  Good- 
bye," when  leaving.  Then  as  we  offered  our  goods 
I  should  say,  "  I  sell  spectacles,"  while  Mr.  Rau's 
speech  was,  "  I  sell  fancy  goods."  The  first  farm- 
house we  came  to  was  chosen  by  us  as  the  place 
where  we  should  try  and  make  a  sale,  and  at  the 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         85 

same  time  put  in  practice  our  English.  It  was  quite 
a  task,  I  assure  you,  and  we  found  it  hard  to  decide 
who  should  be  the  first  to  approach  and  speak  to 
the  inmates,  and  as  it  really  made  no  difference  who 
was  the  spokesman,  Mr.  Rau  expressed  his  willing- 
ness to  have  me  go  first.  I  took  courage,  and  going 
to  the  door  knocked.  A  buxom  country  lass  of 
about  twenty  summers,  with  laughing  blue  eyes  and 
curly  hair,  opened  the  door,  and  I,  taking  off  my 
hat  and  bowing,  entered  the  room,  followed  closely 
by  Rau.  The  mother  sat  at  a  table  sewing,  and  I 
immediately  started  in  to  explain  my  business. 
With  great  respect  I  said,  "  Good-bye,  I  am  spec- 
tacles," whereupon  she  began  to  laugh,  and  I,  quite 
embarrassed,  stepped  back,  and  Rau,  advancing, 
said,  "  I  am  fancy  goods." 

It  is  needless  to  say  that  we  did  not  make  a  very 
good  impression,  and  the  women,  thinking  we  were 
a  pair  of  escaped  lunatics,  made  us  understand  that 
our  room  was  better  than  our  company,  and  we  de- 
parted, much  cast  down  and  very  hungry.  This  was 
indeed  a  bad  beginning,  and  we  walked  on  for  a  few 
miles  without  daring  to  make  another  call.  Finally 
we  got  command  of  our  courage,  for  our  stomachs 
were  clamoring  for  food,  and  we  entered  another 
house  and  met  with  better  success.  I  saw  a  piano- 
forte in  the  parlor,  and  I  tried  to  make  the  farmer 
understand  that  I  could  tune  it  if  it  needed  it, 
whereupon  he  said  that  he  did  n't  know  anything 
about  it.  I  opened  the  piano,  sat  down  and  im- 
provised a  little,  then  I  examined  the  instrument 
carefully.  My  music  must  have  appealed  to  the 
good  gentleman  and  his  wife,  for  he  signified  his 


86  Reminiscences 

willingness  to  have  me  tune  the  piano,  after  which 
he  requested  me  to  play  for  him. 

As  I  left  the  instrument  he  asked  me  how  much 
he  owed  me,  whereupon  I  made  him  understand 
that  I  should  be  perfectly  satisfied  if  he  would  give 
Rau  and  myself  our  dinner,  which  he  seemed  to 
think  an  exceedingly  good  bargain,  but  I  very  much 
doubt  if  the  same  feeling  existed  after  we  had 
finished  eating,  for  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  we 
came  out  ahead  after  all.  We  moved  on,  greatly 
refreshed  by  our  wholesome  meal  of  ham,  eggs, 
coffee,  and  bread.  At  our  next  stopping-place  I 
was  unsuccessful,  as  there  was  no  piano  and  the 
people  were  all  blessed  with  good  eyes;  Rau,  how- 
ever, sold  a  few  yards  of  ribbon,  a  little  lace,  and  a 
pair  of  gloves,  which  paid  our  way.  We  stopped 
with  farmers  all  along  our  route,  and  as  they  were 
not  in  the  habit  of  keeping  lodgers,  we  usually  paid 
our  bill  with  fancy  goods  or  a  cheap  pair  of  spec- 
tacles. -  There  was  no  sale  for  my  line  of  goods,  and 
my  influence  as  partner  consisted  mainly  in  tuning 
pianos,  but  I  managed  to  make  more  than  Rau. 

One  hot,  sultry  day  while  on  the  road,  we  were 
nearly  famished,  and  our  purse  was  very  light. 
As  evening  came  on,  we  found  that  all  we  had  in 
the  world  was  a  few  pennies.  The  night  was  beau- 
tiful ;  it  was  moonlight,  and  cool  after  the  intense 
heat  of  the  day,  and  as  we  came  to  a  large  orchard, 
I  felt  that  we  could  with  safety  sleep  under  one  of 
the  trees  and  save  our  pennies  to  buy  something  to 
eat  next  morning.  I  therefore  told  Rau  of  my  pur- 
pose, and  he,  after  a  moment's  thought,  entered  into 
my  plan,  and  we  made  our  way  into  the  orchard. 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         87 

Throwing  ourselves  down  upon  the  grass,  with  our 
satchels  for  pillows,  we  slept  until  the  dawn ;  and 
now  that  I  enjoy  one  of  the  best  beds  in  the  world, 
I  question  whether  I  have  ever  slept  more  peacefully 
than  that  night  on  the  grass,  with  the  blue,  starry 
canopy  of  heaven  for  my  cover. 

We  travelled  east  from  Albany,  following  what  I 
think  must  be  the  route  of  the  Boston  and  Albany 
road,  and  one  day  neared  Pittsfield,  Massachusetts. 
Before  entering  that  town  we  decided  to  dissolve 
partnership,  Rau  to  go  his  way  and  I  mine,  for  we 
found  that  our  profits  did  not  enable  us  to  live  with 
any  degree  of  comfort,  so  I  entered  the  town  alone, 
Rau  going  on.  While  walking  aimlessly  along  the 
principal  street,  I  heard  some  one  tuning  melodeons, 
and  as  -I  had  never  seen  such  an  instrument,  I  made 
bold  to  enter  the  building  from  which  the  sound 
came,  and  found  myself  in  a  melodeon  factory. 
Among  the  workmen  there  were  several  Germans 
with  whom  I  could  converse,  and  I  soon  made 
known  the  object  of  my  visit,  and  one  of  them 
kindly  explained  the  sweet-toned  little  instrument 
to  me.  In  Germany  I  had  never  seen  a  melodeon, 
and  as  I  was  anxious  to  try  one  I  asked  permission, 
which  was  granted.  It  took  me  but  a  few  minutes 
to  learn  how  to  operate  the  pedals  which  supplied 
the  intoning  power  for  the  reeds,  and  as  I  continued 
to  play  I,  having  been  accustomed  to  live  on  wind 
of  late,  conceived  a  great  liking  for  the  instrument. 

Having  finished  my  improvisation  a  man  ap- 
proached me,  extending  his  hand,  telling  me  in 
German  that  he  was  a  musician  and  a  violoncello 
player  of  great  renown,  introducing  himself  as  Herr 


88  Reminiscences 

Lenzen.  He  was  a  man  of  colossal  stature,  his 
short  neck  supporting  an  unusually  large  head  which 
was  nearly  bald.  He  was  clean  shaven,  with  a  strong 
mouth,  from  which  his  underlip  projected  boldly. 
His  eyes  were  deep-set,  and  his  heavy  eyebrows, 
which  met  over  his  eyes,  were  thick  and  shaggy, 
while  his  eyelashes  swept  his  cheek,  making  the 
eyes  seem  dark  although  I  could  not  distinguish 
their  color.  His  arms  were  short  and  very  muscu- 
lar, while  his  hands,  large  and  bony,  did  not  look 
like  the  hands  of  a  musician.  They  were  almost 
black  from  exposure  to  the  sun,  and  were  covered 
with  coarse  black  hair  and  freckles.  His  feet  were 
flat,  and  he  walked  with  a  rolling,  shuffling  gait. 
His  coat  and  vest  were  of  the  cheapest,  coarsest 
kind  of  cloth  and  altogether  too  heavy  for  the  season, 
while  his  trousers  were  of  duck  which  had  once  been 
white. 

His  whole  appearance  was  unclean,  and  as  he 
stood  excited  and  perspiring  before  me  I  doubted 
his  assurance  of  being  a  great  musician  and  violon- 
cellist, and  I  cannot  say  that  I  was  pleased  when  he 
said:  "  I  am  going  to  give  a  concert  here  to-night 
upon  the  violoncello,  and  as  I  have  no  accompanist 
you  shall  be  the  man.  I  was  told  that  one  of  the 
workmen  in  the  factory  would  be  capable,  but  I 
have  searched  the  place  over  and  was  just  about  to 
give  up  in  despair  when  I  met  you.  My  good  fel- 
low," he  continued  patronizingly,  "  I  am  a  musician, 
an  artist,  and  I  am  in  distress  and  must  have  some 
money,  and  unless  I  give  a  concert,  for  which  I  have 
already  made  arrangements,  I  shall  die.  Young 
man,"  he  exclaimed  excitedly,  "  you  are  a  godsend 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         89 

to  me ;  you  cannot,  dare  not,  refuse  to  accompany 
me,  for  you  have  not  the  heart  to  say  no  to  such  an 
artist,  to  a  countryman  who  is  in  need  of  assistance." 

I  finally  cut  short  this  harangue  by  saying  that  I 
was  not  there  for  that  purpose,  that  I  had  business 
of  my  own, — I  wonder  if  this  statement  was  true? — 
and  that  under  no  considerations  would  I  lend  my 
services  for  the  proposed  concert,  adding  that  I  was 
entirely  out  of  practice  and  did  not,  therefore,  feel 
inclined  to  appear  in  public.  My  remarks  had  the 
effect  of  exciting  Lenzen  still  more,  and  he  seized 
me  by  the  shoulder  and  violently  shook  me  as  he 
continued  imploring  me  not  to  leave  him  in  such 
straits.  The  effect  was  so  sudden  and  soul-stirring, 
that  I  finally  gasped  out  between  shakes  that  I 
would  consider  it,  provided  he  would  show  me  the 
music  which  he  wished  to  play,  so  that  I  might  look 
it  over;  whereupon  he  began  to  laugh  in  the  most 
hilarious  way,  dancing  about  the  room  like  a  mad- 
man, and  exclaiming  between  shrieks  of  laughter, 

Music!  Music!  That  's  too  rich!  The  idea  of 
an  artist  like  me  having  music!  Why,  my  boy,  I 
play  without  notes,  and  you  must  accompany  me 
by  ear.  Come  right  along  with  me  to  the  house  of 
a  friend  who  owns  a  piano,  and  I  shall  run  over  my 
solos  with'  you."  I  reluctantly  followed  him,  and 
together  we  entered  the  house  of  a  well-to-do  German 
who  had  offered  this  fellow  the  hospitality  of  his 
home. 

Lenzen  took  out  his  'cello  and  began  to  play,  I 
having  previously  requested  him  to  play  alone  so 
that  I  might  hear  and  catch  the  composition  and 
form  an  opinion  as  to  the  scope  of  my  duties  as 


90  Reminiscences 

accompanist.  To  my  great  surprise  a  remarkable 
violoncello  player  sat  before  me.  He  had  marvel- 
lous execution,  an  unlimited  control  over  his  finger- 
board, and  his  powerful  arm  and  iron  hand  carried 
his  bow  over  the  strings,  giving  a  tone  that  was  rich 
and  full  of  color,  while  his  conception  of  the  com- 
position was  highly  artistic.  The  wretched-looking 
being  of  a  few  moments  before  was  transformed  into 
a  god.  His  selection  showed  great  judgment,  and 
when  he  had  finished,  and  being  lost  in  his  art,  he 
arose  from  his  chair,  saying,  "  Beethoven  is  my 
god, — I  love  him,  I  adore  him,"  and  approaching 
the  piano  where  there  was  a  lot  of  music  scattered 
about,  seized  a  piece  and  holding  it  before  my  eyes 
said,  "  See  this!  See  the  name!  It  is  Beethoven's 
great  love-song  Adelaide ;  let  us  play  it,"  and  placing 
the  score  upon  the  rack  he  fairly  carried  me  to  the 
stool,  seized  his  'cello,  and  began  the  haunting 
melody.  To  describe  the  fervor  and  passionate 
tone  which  came  from  the  strings  of  his  'cello,  the 
trembling  and  sighing  notes  that  echo  Beethoven's 
heart,  interwoven  with  the  glorious  words  of  the 
soft  breezes  of  the  night  and  the  rustling  of  the 
leaves  that  live  in  the  sounds  of  Beethoven's  Ade- 
laide, the  grief  and  sorrow  which  gave  birth  to  the 
marvellous  song  which  was  wavering  throughout  the 
humble  little  room,  no  greater  tribute  was  ever  paid 
to  the  great  composer  than  that  of  the  poor  tramp 
'cellist  that  day  in  Pittsfield.  After  that  magnifi- 
cent performance  I  was  bound  to  help  him,  and  after 
an  hour's  practice  I  felt  myself  ready  to  accompany 
him. 

That  evening  we  gave  our  concert  in  a  small  hall 


co   "-3 
n 

i  < 
<  >. 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         91 

before  a  goodly  audience.  Lenzen  sat  before  the 
door  and  took  the  money,  and  when  the  people 
were  seated  we  gave  a  really  fine  program.  The 
room  was  lighted  by  candles  which  cast  a  flickering 
and  uncertain  light  over  the  place,  and  in  that  weird 
and  barren  hall  we  gave  as  the  opening  number  an 
improvisation  by  myself,  followed  by  two  'cello 
solos;  then  Lenzen  sang  the  Marseillaise  and  The 
Old  Folks  at  Home  with  'cello  accompaniment.  The 
next  number  was  a  Strauss  waltz  for  piano  and 
'cello,  then  a  guitar  solo,  The  Spanish  Fandango, 
by  myself,  and  Variations  on  Yankee  Doodle  and  Old 
Dog  Tray  on  'cello ;  the  last  being  a  song  with  piano 
accompaniment  and  'cello  obligato.  The  proceeds 
of  the  concert,  while  comparing  unfavorably  with 
those  of  Paderewski,  were  to  our  minds  satisfactory, 
for  after  paying  for  the  use  of  the  hall  there  was 
about  fifteen  dollars  left,  which  the  artist  wanted 
to  share  with  me,  but  which  I  declined  to 
accept. 

Lenzen  was  in  high  glee  and  proposed  to  me  to 
accompany  him  on  a  concert  tour  to  Lenox  and 
Stockbridge.  I  found  out  after  the  concert  that 
while  he  was  an  artist  of  ability,  he  was  addicted  to 
drink,  spending  every  penny  for  liquor,  and  when 
we  met  the  next  morning  he  was  still  in  a  semi- 
intoxicated  state  from  his  debauch  of  the  night  be- 
fore. I  therefore  told  him  that  I  would  not  go  with 
him  ;  but  he  insisted  and  bothered  me  so  much  that, 
finally  out  of  compassion,  and  reverence  for  his  art, 
I  consented  to  go  to  Lenox  and  accompany  him 
there,  provided  we  could  secure  a  hall;  and  as  he 
added  that  there  was  a  young  ladies'  seminary  there 


92  Reminiscences 

where  we  might  possibly  be  able  to  give  a  concert, 
I  set  out  with  him  one  fine  morning.  Lenzen  feared 
that  it  would  be  difficult  to  obtain  a  piano  in  the 
little  village,  and  I  borrowed  a  guitar  from  his 
friend,  the  German,  so  that  I  might  use  it  to  ac- 
company him  in  case  we  could  not  get  a  piano.  We 
walked  the  entire  distance,  Lenzen  with  his  'cello 
and  I  with  my  borrowed  guitar.  On  the  road  we 
made  a  halt  close  by  a  little  running  brook  in  a 
pretty  valley,  and  under  the  shadow  of  the  tall  trees, 
with  the  birds  for  an  audience,  we  had  a  fine  re- 
hearsal. Never  shall  I  forget  the  Adelaide  which 
Lenzen  played  for  me  by  request  after  the  rehearsal, 
how  its  soulful  melody  echoed  through  the  trees, 
and  how  the  little  babbling  brook  seemed  to  catch 
and  murmur  the  beautiful  refrain ! 

Arriving  in  Lenox  we  found  that  there  was  no 
hall  to  be  had,  but  we  were  offered  some  kind  of  a 
building  with  a  low  ceiling  which  was  used  for 
town  meetings.  This  was  offered  gratuitously,  and 
as  a  means  of  advertising  Lenzen  got  the  village 
storekeeper  to  print  some  notices  on  common  brown 
wrapping  paper,  which  we  tacked  up  on  the  trees 
and  barns  in  and  around  the  village,  also  leaving  a 
few  of  these  placards  at  the  seminary.  Sorry  am  I 
to  state  that  the  concert  was  a  big  fizzle,  both  musi- 
cally and  financially,as  there  were  not  enough  people 
in  the  town  to  make  it  profitable  had  they  turned  out 
en  masse,  but  as  less  than  a  dozen  came  we  played  a 
few  selections  for  them,  then  dismissed  the  congre- 
gation, giving  them  back  their  money.  This  fiasco, 
together  with  various  reasons  which  my  readers  will 
readily  understand,  ended  our  concert  tour,  and 


St.  Petersburg  and  America         93 

wishing  old  Lenzen  good  luck  and  bidding  him  fare- 
well I  departed  for  Sharon  Springs,  New  York, 
having  been  told  that  it  was  a  fashionable  place, 
noted  for  its  baths,  and  that  it  would  be  a  good 
location  for  the  sale  of  my  wares. 


CHAPTER  V 

Sharon  Springs,  New  York — Engagement  with  Mario-Grisi  Opera 
Company,  Castle  Garden,  New  York  City — Buckley  Serenaders 

I  REACH  ED  Palatine  Bridge  by  rail,  and  footed  it 
some  nine  miles  to  Sharon  Springs,  which  forty 
years  ago  enjoyed  great  popularity  and,  aside  from 
Saratoga  Springs,  was  the  most  fashionable  resort 
in  the  East,  the  many  seashore  hotels  and  splendidly 
appointed  mountain  retreats  that  are  nowadays  so 
much  frequented  being  practically  unknown.  At 
that  time  a  summer  vacation  was  not  deemed  neces- 
sary for  the  middle  class,  and  wealth  and  prosperity 
had  just  begun  to  dawn  upon  the  nation.  For  this 
reason  Saratoga  and  Sharon  Springs  were  visited  by 
those  who  were  physically  in  need  of  the  water  or 
baths,  and  Sharon  boasted  of  the  largest  sulphur 
spring  in  America,  and  its  baths  were  famous.  I 
cannot  say  that  I  was  suffering  from  a  torpid  liver 
or  chronic  indigestion  from  high  living,  nor  would 
I  appear  very  truthful  should  I  claim  a  gouty  or 
rheumatic  ailment  brought  on  by  too  much  wine 
and  lack  of  exercise ;  these  motives  did  not,  there- 
fore, enter  into  my  mind  when  I  selected  Sharon  as 
a  good  place  to  spend  the  summer.  There  were 

94 


Musical  Experiences  95 

various  and  equally  strong  reasons  which  prompted 
me  to  go  there,  viz.,  the  information  that  around 
the  baths  I  would  find  a  Mecca  for  the  sale  of  eye- 
glasses and  spectacles,  my  informant  evidently  bas- 
ing his  theory  on  the  fact  that  rheumatic  affliction 
affected  the  eyesight. 

It  was  a  hot  afternoon  when  I  entered  the  little 
village,  nestling,  as  it  does,  in  a  wooded  valley 
nearly  fifteen  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  I  had  made  provision  for  a  long  stay  at  the 
Springs,  and  had  forwarded  my  trunk,  which  con- 
tained my  worldly  possessions,  consisting  of  my 
clothes  and  several  musical  instruments,  by  stage. 
As  I  walked  down  the  one  street  I  saw  that  it  was 
lined  upon  either  side  with  large  hotels,  and  all  of 
them  seemed  full  of  guests.  I  kept  on  to  the  baths, 
trying  to  find  a  place  within  my  means,  finally  walk- 
ing up  the  hill  to  the  Pavilion  Hotel,  which  I  found 
to  be  the  most  exclusive  hostelry  of  the  village,  and 
from  whose  piazza.  I  looked  out  upon  the  beautiful 
Mohawk  Valley  with  the  Adirondacks  for  a  back- 
ground. Turning  back  I  again  strolled  through  the 
street,  finally  selecting  a  small  boarding-house  which 
seemed  the  most  inviting  of  the  lot  and  quite  in 
keeping  with  my  financial  condition.  I  was  fortu- 
nate in  my  selection,  obtaining  a  good  room,  and  as 
there  was  a  small  farm  connected  with  the  establish- 
ment, the  table  was  always  supplied  with  fresh 
vegetables. 

After  brushing  up  I  went  down  to  the  baths  and 
obtained  permission  to  show  my  goods  on  the  mor- 
row, retracing  my  steps  and  stopping  at  the  Eldridge 
House  to  buy  a  cigar.  The  guests  must  have  been 


g6  Reminiscences 

at  supper,  and  as  there  seemed  to  be  no  one  on  the 
large  piazza  I  drew  up  a  chair,  and  seating  myself 
proceeded  to  enjoy  my  cigar.  My  thoughts  car- 
ried me  back  to  my  beloved  Vaterland,  and  as  I  re- 
called the  many  adventures  I  had  passed  through,  a 
longing  to  again  hear  Beethoven's  Adelaide  came 
over  me,  and  with  it  the  image  of  sweet  Marie  whom 
I  had  regretfully  left  in  far-away  Russia ;  of  her  love 
for  divine  music,  and  I  felt  my  eyes  grow  moist  as 
I  brooded  upon  cruel  fate  which  had  cast  me  in 
this  distant  land  so  far  from  home  and  friends. 
With  it  came  the  many  talks  I  had  enjoyed  with 
my  good  mother  in  Coblenz,  the  few  achievements 
which  were  subject  to  my  hopes  of  bettering  my 
position,  and  the  great  sadness  and  loneliness  of  my 
present  life ;  for  my  successes  in  the  Old  World  had 
been  followed  by  the  most  cruel  and  bitter  dis- 
appointments in  this,  the  New,  and  my  sadness  be- 
came greater  when  I  could  not  see  any  prospect  of 
prosperity  ahead. 

After  a  while  I  felt  better,  and  having  finished  my 
cigar  I  arose  to  go  when,  happening  to  look  through 
the  door  into  the  parlor,  I  saw  a  pianoforte  standing 
in  one  corner  close  to  the  wall.  All  at  once  my 
musical  nature  awoke  and  I  longed  to  touch  the 
keys  of  that  instrument,  and  as  I  saw  no  guests 
around  I  quietly  slipped  into  the  parlor,  and  before 
I  knew  it  I  was  seated  at  the  piano  and  improvising. 
Quite  forgetful  of  time,  place,  and  my  surroundings 
I  played  on,  pouring  out  all  the  longings,  all  the 
pent-up  anguish,  of  my  soul.  Suddenly  I  became 
conscious  of  the  presence  of  others,  and,  turning,  I 
was  amazed  to  find  the  room  quite  full  of  ladies  and 


Musical  Experiences  97 

gentlemen.  With  cheeks  aflame  I  started  to  leave, 
when  I  was  seized  by  two  young  men,  carried  back 
to  the  piano,  forced  upon  the  stool,  and  commanded 
to  play.  Glancing  over  my  shoulder  I  saw  the 
guests  formed  for  a  quadrille,  and  with  my  two 
strong  guards  standing  over  me  I  played,  and  they 
danced  for  nearly  two  hours,  when  I  was  allowed  to 
get  up.  As  I  was  leaving,  one  of  the  young  men 
thrust  something  into  my  vest  pocket,  and  before 
I  could  remonstrate  I  was  pushed  out  of  the  room 
and  into  the  street. 

I  went  home  in  the  most  distracted  and  disheart- 
ened manner,  and  taking  the  note  from  my  vest 
pocket  was  surprised  to  find  that  it  was  a  new  five- 
dollar  bill.  I  was  so  upset  over  the  adventure,  so 
disgusted  with  myself  for  belittling  my  art  by  play- 
ing for  that  madcap  dance  that  I  could  not  rest,  and 
next  morning  I  went,  in  a  somewhat  disheartened 
condition,  to  the  spring,  and  placing  my  wares  upon 
a  table  under  a  tree  stood  there  patiently  waiting 
for  customers.  I  was  not  fortunate  that  day,  for  I 
did  not  sell  anything,  and  I  began  to  think  I  had 
again  made  a  mistake  in  coming  to  Sharon  Springs. 
Had  I  not  had  the  five  dollars  in  my  pocket  I  am 
afraid  I  should  have  packed  up  and  left  then  and 
there,  and  while  the  way  of  earning  it  was  not  an 
acceptable  one  I  felt  somewhat  proud  of  my  ability, 
though  it  seemed  a  disgraceful  act  to  sacrifice  what 
to  me  was  sacred  and  to  so  prostitute  it  by  playing 
for  dancing,  that,  no  matter  what  the  need,  I  re- 
solved never  to  do  it  again. 

That  evening  I  feared  to  go  to  the  hotel,  but  I 
wanted  to  smoke,  and  before  I  knew  what  I  was 


9#  Reminiscences 

doing  I  was  standing  before  the  glass  case  in  the 
office  of  the  Eldridge  House  selecting  a  cigar.  As 
I  was  leaving,  two  gentlemen  came  to  me  and  gave 
me  to  understand  that  my  services  were  again 
wanted  to  furnish  music  for  the  merry  dance,  and 
when  I  positively  declined  to  be  the  musician  they 
seized  me,  one  upon  either  side,  and  fairly  dragging 
me  into  the  room  put  me  on  the  piano-stool,  and 
standing  over  me  commanded  me  to  play.  This 
peculiar  performance  on  my  part  called  forth  a  roar 
of  laughter  from  the  dancers,  who  were  already 
formed  for  the  Virginia  Reel.  Under  the  surveil- 
lance of  this  guard  I  was  kept  playing  the  whole 
evening,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  that  another  five 
dollars  found  its  way  to  my  vest  pocket  in  return 
for  my  services.  My  music  must  have  pleased 
them,  because  the  guests  from  the  large  hotel  across 
the  street  came  over  and  joined  in  the  dance,  and 
the  Eldridge  House  became  the  centre  of  attraction 
of  the  place,  Brown's  Hotel  opposite  being  prac- 
tically deserted. 

I  found  after  several  long  and  tedious  days  be- 
hind my  stand  at  the  spring  that  I  could  not  sell 
any  spectacles  at  Sharon,  so  I  consented  to  play 
each  evening  for  dancing  at  Eldridge's.  One  day 
Mr.  Brown,  the  owner  of  the  rival  hostelry,  ap- 
proached me  and  offered  me  more  money  and  my 
board  if  I  would  play  each  night  in  the  parlor  of  his 
hotel,  which  offer  I  declined.  Finding  that  he  could 
not  induce  me  to  leave  the  house  which  had  given 
me  my  first  hearing,  he  finally  entered  into  arrange- 
ments with  Mr.  Eldridge,  and  I  played  half  the 
week  at  his  hotel  and  the  other  half  across  the  street, 


Musical  Experiences  99 

receiving  five  dollars  a  night  for  my  services.  I 
spent  a  month  or  more  at  Sharon  Springs;  and 
having  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  in  my 
pocket,  and  as  the  season  was  drawing  to  a  close 
I  thought  of  Pauline's  song,  When  the  Swallows 
Homeward  Fly,  and  now,  being  a  man  of  means,  I 
returned  to  New  York  City  full  of  hope  and  in  the 
best  of  spirits. 

Arriving  in  the  metropolis  I  went  to  Mrs.  L.'s, 
where  I  found  a  letter  from  Germany,  telling  me 
that  a  cousin  of  mine  was  living  in  the  city  and  that 
he  was  a  prosperous  manufacturer.  His  address 
was  also  sent,  the  letter  stating  that  he  had  recently 
been  in  Coblenz  on  a  business  trip,  had  called  upon 
my  mother,  and  hearing  that  I  was  in  New  York  had 
requested  that  I  come  to  see  him.  Acting  upon  the 
suggestion  I  called  upon  Mr.  Heineman  in  Henry 
Street.  He  received  me  very  cordially,  and  told 
me  that  he  had  crossed  the  ocean  with  Max  Maret- 
zek,  the  orchestral  leader,  and  that  he  had  spoken 
to  him  of  me,  telling  him  that  I  .was  an  excellent 
'cello  player,  and  that  Mr.  Maretzek  had  told  him 
that  he  would  give  me  a  place  in  his  orchestra  if  I 
would  call  at  his  office.  Through  some  unfortunate 
circumstance,  Mr.  Maretzek  did  not  conduct  that 
season,  for  another  opera  company,  with  Arditi  as 
conductor,  and  Mario  and  Grisi  as  stars,  began  an 
engagement  at  Castle  Garden ;  though  when  I  called 
at  the  address  given  me  by  my  cousin  I  did  not 
know  of  this  change  of  management.  I  was,  how- 
ever, offered  a  position  in  the  orchestra  as  'cello 
player,  which  I  accepted. 

Our  contract  called  for  three  performances  a  week, 


ioo  Reminiscences 

for  which  I  received  five  dollars  a  performance. 
After  several  rehearsals,  we  opened  on  a  warm  eve- 
ning in  early  September,  giving  a  great  performance 
of  Norma — Mario  and  Grisi  being  enthusiastically 
received.  I  must  not  forget  to  say  that  when  I  ap- 
peared with  my  three-quarter  'cello  for  my  first 
rehearsal  I  was  greeted  with  shouts  of  laughter  from 
the  orchestra,  and,  greatly  embarrassed,  I  resolved 
to  buy  another  at  once,  although  I  was  very  fond 
of  my  little  instrument,  which  had  been  made  by 
Scheinlein  of  Langenfeld,  one  of  the  last  of  a  family 
of  celebrated  violin-makers.  I  therefore  called  on 
the  great  George  Gemiinder,  the  world-renowned 
violin-maker,  and  asked  him  for  a  good,  regular- 
sized  violoncello.  I  found  that  he  had  an  excellent 
instrument  of  his  own  make,  and  I  bargained  for 
it,  giving  my  three-quarter  Scheinlein  and  all  the 
money  I  had  earned  playing  for  dances  at  Sharon 
Springs  during  the  summer.  I  now  felt  to  be  my- 
self again,  having  spent  my  money,  which  had 
burned  a  hole  in  my  pocket  and  given  me  many 
sleepless  night. 

After  a  dozen  performances  at  Castle  Garden  the 
orchestra  was  told  that  the  Academy  of  Music  had 
been  finished,  and  that  we  should  assemble  there  for 
a  rehearsal  at  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning  for  the 
purpose  of  testing  the  acoustics  of  the  new  house, 
which  we  did,  finding  that  the  orchestra  was  too 
low,  and  a  platform  was  therefore  built  so  as  to  get 
more  tonal  power.  I  must  here  state  that  Theodore 
Thomas  was  one  of  the  first  violins  of  that  orchestra. 
The  opening  night  at  the  Academy  was  a  grand 
event,  and  the  opera  was,  if  my  memory  serves  me 


Musical  Experiences  101 

right,  Semiramide.  Mario,  the  handsome  silver- 
toned  tenor,  was  in  excellent  voice,  and  Grisi,  as 
prima  donna,  succeeded  in  captivating  the  cultured 
audience  present. 

I  cannot  recall  those  days  without  remembering 
an  old  violoncello  player  who  sat  beside  me  in  the 
orchestra,  and  who  also  for  a  time  boarded  with  me 
at  Mrs.  L. 's,  and  whom  I  shall  call  Ladymeyer.  He 
was  a  good  orchestral  'cello  player,  having  played  in 
the  royal  chapel  for  the  King  of  Hanover.  Lady- 
meyer was  a  man  of  about  fifty-five  years,  a  blond, 
though  his  fine  golden  hair  was  streaked  with  silver. 
He  was  greatly  pleased  with  himself  and  his  playing, 
and  I  took  a  few  lessons  of  him  while  he  was  at 
Mrs.  L.  's.  He  was  very  effeminate,  and  having  a 
vivid  imagination  he  believed  that  every  woman 
who  attended  the  opera  and  sat  near  him  was  en- 
amored of  his  personal  charms  and  his  marvellous 
'cello  playing.  His  sublime  conceit  and  attitude 
while  playing  were  most  offensive  to  the  majority  of 
the  orchestra,  for  he  was  always  trying  to  get  up  a 
flirtation  with  the  ladies  in  the  boxes  and  front  rows, 
and  used  to  call  my  attention  to  some  one  at  every 
performance,  until  I,  too,  became  quite  disgusted 
with  him.  He  would  carry  his  flirtation  to  such  an 
extent  as  to  try  to  find  out  who  the  lady  was,  and 
if  successful,  as  in  some  instances,  he  immediately 
sent  her  love  poems,  expressing  his  admiration 
and  declaring  his  love.  These  characteristics  were 
very  noticeable  when  he  had  some  small  solo  part 
to  play,  for  he  would  invariably  render  it  in  a  most 
love-sick  manner. 

Ladymeyer  was  also  a  poet,  writing  love  lyrics 


102  Reminiscences 

which  he  set  to  music  and  sung  in  quite  as  artistic  a 
manner  as  did  Pauline  long  ago  in  Berlin.  Every 
evening  after  dinner,  when  we  did  not  have  a  per- 
formance, he  would  insist  on  playing  for  me  his  chef- 
d'oeuvre,  a  composition  which  he  called  Mein  Adagio 
mit  den  Glockchen,  which  he  would  render  with  the 
most  languishing  looks,  while  with  one  finger  he 
would  pick  the  strings,  producing  a  harmonic  which 
was  intended  for  the  Glockchen.  Ladymeyer  was 
very  fond  of  eating,  and  as  he  was  fastidious  in  his 
tastes  he  concluded,  after  a  short  stay  at  Mrs.  L.'s, 
to  take  rooms  for  himself  and  do  his  own  cooking 
so  that  he  might  at  least  have  good  coffee.  The  old 
fellow  was  in  love  with  his  niece,  who  was  a  singer, 
and  as  Ladymeyer  considered  himself  a  great  vocal- 
ist he  undertook  to  teach  her  his  art,  and  as  he  really 
loved  her  quite  as  much  as  he  did  himself,  he  finally 
married  her. 

Mrs.  Ladymeyer  had  much  the  same  musical 
ability  as  her  husband,  and  when  I  heard  her  sing 
years  after,  at  a  concert  given  by  them  in  New 
Haven,  Connecticut,  he  playing  ^Q  Adagio  mit  den 
Glockchen,  and  she  warbling  the  most  inane  love 
songs,  I  felt  my  old  affection  for  Ladymeyer  and 
his  art  return.  As  this  musical  Beau  Brummel 
always  leaned  towards  the  youthful  side  of  life,  and 
although  he  was  a  man  of  fifty-five  when  we  played 
the  'cello  together  with  the  Mario-Grisi  company, 
unless  some  unforeseen  circumstance  has  come  over 
him,  figuring  on  that  basis,  he  must  still  be  alive, 
playing  the  Adagio  and  singing  his  love  poems  in 
declining  tones. 

While  thus  engaged  in  playing  for  the  opera  three 


Musical  Experiences  103 

evenings  a  week,  and  having  time  to  do  something 
else,  I  one  day  took  out  my  case  of  spectacles  and, 
strolling  down  town,  entered  a  wholesale  house  and 
was  showing  my  wares  when  a  man  stepped  up  to 
me,  saying,  "  Hullo,  there,  Steinert,  I  didn't  know 
that  you  were  an  optician,"  and  turning  I  saw  Herr 
Boehm,  the  first  clarionet  player  in  the  orchestra. 
Without  another  word  I  closed  my  case  and  left 
the  shop,  and  never  again  did  I  peddle  spectacles. 
As  a  pastime  for  the  evenings  when  disengaged  I 
formed  a  string  quartet,  and  really  enjoyed  our 
meetings.  One  afternoon,  when  we  were  practis- 
ing, a  gentleman  came  in  and  was  presented  to  me 
as  Mr.  Buckley,  the  manager  of  Buckley's  Sere- 
naders,  and  a  fine  violinist.  Mr.  Fred  Buckley  was 
much  interested  in  our  work,  and  asked  to  be 
allowed  to  play  first  violin  occasionally  when  that 
member  of  the  quartet  was  absent.  This  favor  was 
granted,  and  as  Mr.  Buckley  found  great  enjoyment 
in  quartet  playing  and  the  class  of  music  we  studied, 
we  soon  became  well  acquainted,  and  he  finally 
offered  me  an  engagement  as  violoncello  player  in 
his  theatre  on  Broadway.  As  the  operatic  season 
was  drawing  to  a  close,  and  I  had  no  engagement, 
I  accepted  his  offer  and  joined  the  "  Buckley  Min- 
strels." The  orchestra  was  made  up  of  a  pianist, 
one  first  violin,  one  second  violin,  viola,  'cello,  and 
double  bass,  and  the  members  were  not  obliged  to 
black  up,  being  independent  of  the  ebony-faced 
artists  playing  the  songs  and  the  last  part  of  the 
programme,  which  was  usually  an  operatic  burlesque. 
This  engagement  was  for  a  while  very  pleasant,  and 
I  had  plenty  of  time  to  improve  myself  otherwise. 


104  Reminiscences 

The  pianist  of  our  orchestra,  a  Mr.  Blftz,  was  a 
most  gifted  musician,  possessing  a  love  for  his  art 
that  stamped  him  as  an  extraordinary  artist.  Blitz 
had  a  face  that  suggested  Rembrandt,  or  I  might 
say  the  faces  of  the  Netherland  School  of  artists. 
He  was  of  medium  stature,  well  built  and  muscular, 
having  the  most  beautiful  hands,  which  were  always 
well  kept.  His  conceit  was  as  sublime  as  Lady- 
meyer's,  for  he  thought  that  he  was  the  Adonis  of 
the  universe.  While  his  ambition  in  art  was  most 
commendable,  I  must  say  that  the  force  in  the 
direction  of  his  beauty  was  looked  upon  by  him  as 
far  beyond  his  art,  and  therefore  he  felt  himself  to 
be  the  great  attraction  of  our  show,  and  did  not 
hesitate  to  say  that  the  ' '  Buckley  Serenaders, ' '  with 
their  jokes  and  shining  carbon  faces,  with  their 
dramatic  art  in  burlesque,  with  their  banjo  playing 
and  their  remarkable  dancing  were  nothing,  and  that 
he,  with  his  beautiful  head,  his  lustrous,  expressive 
eyes,  and  fine  appearance,  was  the  central  focus  of 
the  entertainment.  In  his  contract  with  Mr.  Buck- 
ley he  stipulated  that  his  grand  piano  should  be 
placed  upon  an  elevated  platform  so  that  his  profile 
would  be  seen,  feeling  sure  that  if  he  should  deign 
to  turn  and  show  his  full  face  he  could  captivate 
the  fair  sex  instanter.  So  sure  was  he  of  his  great 
importance  that  he  would  gaze  at  the  ladies  with 
his  languishing,  expressive  eyes,  frequently  taking 
one  of  his  beautiful  hands  from  the  keys  to  sweep 
back  his  long  hair,  which  hung  far  down  on  his 
neck.  After  every  performance  he  used  to  tell  me 
of  his  conquests,  which  I  could  not  deny,  because, 
sitting  as  low  down  as  I  did  playing  my  'cello,  and 


Musical  Experiences  105 

with  my  back  to  the  audience,  I  knew  that  I  could 
not  in  any  way  compete  with  him,  although  in 
those  days  I,  too,  affected  long  hair.  Once  I  tried 
to  look  around  and  sweep  back  my  hair  as  I  so 
often  saw  Blitz  do,  but  greatly  to  the  detriment  of 
my  'cello  playing,  and  though  I  did  not  give  up  in 
despair  I  submitted  in  a  lamblike  spirit,  bewailing 
the  fate  that  made  me  a  sawer  of  catgut  instead  of 
a  manipulator  of  the  ivory  keys.  Blitz,  because  of 
his  fanciful  conquests,  made  himself  very  disagree- 
able to  Mr.  Buckley,  making  the  most  absurd  de- 
mands, which  were  usually  granted  because  he  was 
such  an  excellent  pianist. 

I  must,  however,  state  that  Blitz  was  not  alto- 
gether the  attraction  of  the  show,  and  that  while  the 
ensemble  helped  to  make  the  name  of  the  "  Buckley 
Serenaders  "  household  words,  the  man  who  really 
was  in  himself  a  whole  attraction  was  Mr.  Fred  Buck- 
ley, the  leader  and  violinist  of  the  orchestra.  Young 
Buckley  was  undisputably  handsome,  very  modest, 
and  with  it  all  a  remarkable  artist.  He  had  an 
advantage  over  Blitz  and  the  rest  in  that  he  went 
upon  the  stage  and  played  solos  upon  his  violin,  and 
it  cannot  be  denied  that  he  made  many  conquests 
among  the  fair  sex,  for  he  daily  received  dozens  of 
love-letters  from  those  who  had  listened  to  his  mar- 
vellous playing.  Blitz  never  could  understand  why 
the  ladies  of  the  negro  minstrel  audience  could  be 
so  ignorant  as  to  prefer  Buckley,  who  was  only  a 
violinist,  to  him,  so  that  a  feeling  of  rivalry  sprang 
up  between  them  which  was  to  the  disadvantage  of 
the  pianist;  in  fact  it  soon  attained  such  magnitude 
that  Blitz  resigned  upon  several  occasions,  and  only 


io6  Reminiscences 

through  the  diplomacy  and  judgment  of  his  rival 
resumed  his  place  in  the  orchestra.  Blitz  came  of 
an  excellent  family,  having,  besides  his  parents,  two 
brothers  and  a  sister. 

While  living  with  Mrs.  L.,  I  became  acquainted 
with  an  elderly  gentleman,  by  name  Dr.  F.  He 
was  an  old  bachelor  and  would  have  been  a  suit- 
able character  for  a  monastery.  In  his  early  life  he 
had  been  a  school  -  teacher,  and  later  on,  while 
residing  in  Munich,  the  tutor  of  Mrs.  L.'s  children. 
He  combined  with  the  characteristics  of  the  teacher 
much  pedantry ;  and  as  school-teachers  often,  on 
account  of  mingling  with  children  instead  of  men, 
have  a  tendency  to  judge  the  world  from  the  stand- 
point of  the  inexperienced,  and  are  inclined  to  revel 
in  the  thought  that  they  are  the  leaders  of  the  world, 
influenced  by  their  autocratic  position  over  a  class 
of  humanity  that  is  unripe  and  unused  to  the  battles 
of  life,  so  Dr.  F.  looked  upon  the  great  world 
from  a  juvenile  pedestal,  and  in  this  respect  he  was 
not  unlike  Blitz  when  he  considered  his  beauty. 
Dr.  F.  found  something  in  me  to  interest  him, 
and  he  gave  me  much  wholesome  advice,  speaking 
to  me  in  a  fatherly  way,  telling  me  what  it  was  best 
for  me  to  do  to  acquire  a  position  in  business  and 
society.  As  I  had  been  trained  from  my  youth 
to  receive  even  the  smallest  favor  with  gratitude, 
I  listened  to  his  teaching  and  profited  by  it.  He 
told  me  that  I  must  mingle  more  in  society,  and 
advised  me  to  frequent  the  gatherings  of  the  many 
German  families  held  weekly,  and  finally  suggested 
that  I  marry  and  settle  down.  Through  his  inter- 
cession I  attended  Certain  social  entertainments  held 


Musical  Experiences  107 

Sunday  evenings,  where  dramatic,  literary,  and 
musical  programs  were  rendered  which  were  not 
of  a  strictly  professional  character,  but  given  by 
young  men  and  women  in  private  life  who  possessed 
some  talent.  The  gathering-place  was  in  Orchard 
Street,  in  a  medium-sized  hall  up  one  flight  of  stairs. 
The  hall  was  long  and  narrow,  with  low  ceiling,  and 
at  one  end  was  a  low  stage  which  could  be  removed. 
Here  our  amateur  performances  were  given,  and 
these  entertainments  were  very  popular,  and  being 
free,  the  hall  was  usually  filled  to  overflowing,  and  I 
met  many  pleasant  people. 

One  Sunday  evening  I  entered  the  hall  a  little 
late,  and  I  had  to  stand  away  back  by  the  door, 
where  I  could  hear  but  could  not  see  the  stage. 
There  were  recitations,  followed  by  a  piano  solo, 
one  or  two  songs  of  ordinary  musical  merit,  when 
all  at  once  I  heard  the  sound  of  a  soprano  voice 
which  reverberated  like  magic  through  my  whole 
body — a  voice  that  was  clear,  soft,  and  elastic,  with 
a  tone  gradation  that  was  simply  marvellous.  I 
immediately  recognized  the  voice  as  one  that  I 
had  heard  before  ;  even  the  enunciation,  which 
was  so  faultless  and  poetically  wedded  to  those 
magical  tones,  was  familiar  to  me.  In  a  state  of 
ecstasy  I  lost  my  intellectual  powers,  which  should 
have  guided  me  and  allowed  me  to  discriminate  be- 
tween right  and  wrong.  In  fact  all  that  pertained 
to  thought  vanished,  and  I  knew  I  was  listening 
to  Beethoven's  Adelaide,  which  seemed  the  theme 
of  my  life.  Had  peerless  Marie  come  across  the  sea 
to  cheer  me  in  my  loneliness  ?  Had  her  love  for  me 
finally  conquered  her  love  for  art  ?  These  questions 


io8  Reminiscences 

took  possession  of  me,  and  I  tried  to  see  the  fair 
singer.  Greatly  excited,  I  forced  my  way  through 
the  ranks  until  I  could  see  her.  Alas!  my  hopes 
were  shattered.  It  was  was  not  Marie,  it  was  only 
her  voice  that  spoke  to  me  through  another  medium, 
for  I  had  never  looked  upon  the  face  of  the  singer 
before. 

As  I  stepped  towards  the  platform  I  was  amazed 
to  find  Blitz  at  the  piano,  and  with  great  emotion  I 
asked  him  the  name  of  the  woman  who  had  so  ex- 
quisitely rendered  the  Adelaide.  In  a  cool  and 
phlegmatic  way  he  answered,  "It  is  my  sister." 
The  young  woman  was  petite  and  dainty.  She 
had  big  soulful  eyes  and  soft  wavy  hair  which  was 
as  black  as  a  raven's  wing.  With  my  heart  beat- 
ing wildly  I  begged  an  introduction,  and  I  never 
can  remember  the  words  of  our  conversation,  for  my 
soul  was  full  of  the  haunting  melody  of  the  Adelaide. 
I  accompanied  her  home  after  the  concert,  and  for 
weeks  frequented  the  house,  in  love  with  her  mar- 
vellous voice.  After  a  suitable  time  I  asked  her 
hand  from  her  parents  and  brother ;  but  as  I  was  a 
poor  struggling  'cello  player,  they  would  not  con- 
sent, and ;  so  without  ever  tailing  her  of  my  love,  I 
ceased  to  visit  the  house,  and  in  my  despair  sighed 
for  that  peace  and  consolation  which  seemed  to 
vanish  and  leave  me  to  drift  aimlessly  along  in  the 
current  of  misfortune. 


CHAPTER  VI 

Business  with  Mr.  Wolf — Robbery — Illness — Tour  with  "  Buckley 
Serenaders  " — Music  Club  in  Savannah,  Georgia 

A  LTHOUGH  I  had  a  fair  income  from  my  work 
f\  with  the  minstrel  company,  I  did  not  now  enjoy 
it,  for  there  was  a  certain  monotony  connected  with 
it  which  was  at  variance  with  my  tastes,  and  which 
would  have  acted  similarly  upon  any  one  in  my 
position,  for  I  had  to  listen  every  night  to  the  same 
jokes,  the  same  songs,  the  same  burlesque,  the  same 
applause,  in  fact  I  anticipated  the  laughs  and  knew 
just  what  to  expect  at  the  end  of  each  number,  until 
the  responsiveness  of  the  audience  became  almost 
mechanical  to  me.  For  instance,  I  knew  just  when 
the  interlocutor  would  ask  the  end  man,  "  How  do 
you  feel  to-night,  Johnson  ?"  and  the  reply,  "  I 
feel  high."—"  How  high  ?  "— "  Shanghai."  This 
was  one  of  the  jokes  that  I  heard  nightly  for  two 
years. 

I  now  lived  farther  uptown  in  a  very  excellent 
house  which  was  presided  over  by  an  English- 
woman, a  Mrs.  W.,  who  claimed  to  be  a  widow. 
It  was  there  that  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  fel- 
low boarder  by  the  name  of  Wolf,  a  man  some 

log 


1 10  Reminiscences 

years  my  senior,  who  was  very  fond  of  music,  and 
who,  unfortunately  for  me,  played  on  the  violin. 
I  have  not  to  this  day  made  out  whether  it  was 
lack  of  talent  or  insufficient  training  that  made 
him  such  a  disagreeable  player.  I  tried  hard  to 
pity  the  poor  man,  while  I  found  some  consolation 
in  the  fact  that  he  was  an  awfully  nice  fellow,  full 
of  sentiment  and  kindness.  I  could  never  under- 
stand why  he  was  so  fond  of  me.  It  may  have 
been  my  good  looks  (?),  my  humor,  or  possibly  the 
way  I  played  the  violoncello.  To  judge  him  by 
his  musical  abilities,  I  am  forced  to  admit  that  he 
considered  me  a  good  player,  and  I  rejoice  in  the 
fact  because  he  was  an  exception  to  the  rule.  Our 
landlady,  who  was  exceedingly  good-looking,  tried 
very  hard  to  interest  us  by  her  amiability,  and  while 
she  was  loath  to  bemoan  the  fate  which  left  her 
a  lone  widow  in  a  lone  world,  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that  her  husband  when  alive  might  also  have  be- 
moaned the  fate  which  tempted  her  to  leave  a  life  of 
single  blessedness.  During  our  residence  under  her 
roof  she  flirted  with  us  both,  ready  to  accept  the 
first  bidder.  Finally,  in  her  anxiety  to  clinch  the 
bargain,  she  became  so  persistent  that  we  decided 
that  it  was  best  to  leave  before  it  was  too  late. 

Mr.  Wolf  was  a  travelling  man  in  the  interest  of  a 
large  wholesale  establishment,  and  commanded  a 
good  salary,  and  as  he  was  anxious  to  increase  his 
income,  he  suggested  that  we  go  into  partnership  in 
the  optical  goods  business,  he  to  furnish  the  capital 
and  I  the  experience.  I  always  had  an  eye  to  busi- 
ness, and  that  morning  I  had  two,  and  we  closed 
the  bargain  by  renting  a  store  on  Sixth  Avenue 


Business  and  Minstrelsy          in 

between  26th  and  2/th  Streets,  and  immediately  took 
possession  of  it.  The  location  was  considered  a  fine 
one,  and  we  expected  to  do  a  great  business,  but 
after  two  months  we  decided  that  while  the  location 
was  all  right,  something  was  wrong  with  the  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Wolf  invested  about  six  hundred  dollars 
cash  in  the  enterprise,  while  I  turned  over  all  of  the 
optical  goods  which  I  possessed  in  addition  to  my 
services,  while  we  had  on  consignment  a  lot  of  hand- 
some goods,  given  not  on  account  of  our  financial 
standing,  but  because  the  dealers  believed  in  our 
honesty.  During  the  day  I  waited  upon  the  few 
customers,  playing  with  the  minstrels  each  night. 

Our  shop  was  divided  into  two  sections,  consisting 
of  the  shop  proper,  while  the  space  behind  the  parti- 
tion was  utilized  as  my  living  apartments.  The 
limitations  of  my  purse  did  not  permit  of  my  buying 
a  carpet,  but  I  invested  in  a  small  iron  bedstead, 
with  cheap  mattress  and  the  necessary  bedding,  two 
chairs  of  wood,  and  a  washstand  with  the  required 
toilet  articles.  The  only  artistic  element  was  a 
thundering  big  old-fashioned  grand  piano,  which  I 
rented,  a  music-stand,  and  my  violoncello — thus 
giving  to  the  humble  room  something  of  a  musical 
atmosphere.  While  I  did  not  attract  many  custom- 
ers I  enjoyed  a  number  of  visitors,  musical  confreres, 
who  found  pleasure  in  a  cigarette,  cigar,  or  pipe,  and 
music.  Everything  was  on  the  temperance  plan, 
and,  besides  the  social  element,  our  congeniality 
found  expression  in  the  playing  of  quartets,  duets, 
and  trios. 

One  Sunday  evening,  returning  from  a  quartet 
expedition  held  in  the  room  of  a  friend,  I  found 


ii2  Reminiscences 

that  during  my  absence  our  entire  stock  of  optical 
goods  had  been  stolen,  thieves  having  entered  and 
taken  everything  except  the  bedroom  furnishings. 
This  was  indeed  a  great  blow,  and  I  well  remember 
how  bitterly  I  bewailed  our  loss,  and  the  satisfaction 
I  felt  in  the  small  amount  of  money  in  my  pocket- 
book,  which  I  counted  and  put  back  in  my  trousers' 
pocket  just  before  going  to  bed.  I  was  awake  for 
some  time,  but  finally  sank  int6  a  deep  sleep.  When 
I  awoke  the  next  morning  the  sun  was  streaming  in, 
and  I  was  astonished  to  find  the  window  open. 
With  a  crushing  sense  of  loss  I  hurriedly  dressed, 
happy  that  I  had  sufficient  money  left  to  provide 
myself  with  food  for  the  week ;  but  to  my  horror, 
when  I  put  my  hand  into  my  trousers'  pocket  I 
found  that  my  money  was  gone,  and  in  my  unfortu- 
nate position  I  threw  myself  upon  the  bed  and  wept 
like  a  child.  As  I  did  not  have  a  cent  of  money  in 
the  world  with  which  to  buy  myself  a  breakfast,  I 
appealed  to  the  good  German  restaurateur  who  had 
supplied  me  with  my  meals  since  leaving  Mrs. 
W.'s,  and  who  gladly  trusted  me  for  the  amount 
of  my  breakfast.  After  that  I  hastened  to  the 
opticians  whose  goods  we  had  on  consignment,  told 
them  of  the  robbery,  and  assured  them  that  my 
partner  and  myself  would  try  from  time  to  time  to 
repay  them  for  their  loss. 

Mr.  Wolf  returned  in  a  few  days  to  find  that  we 
were  bankrupt.  Upon  hearing  of  the  robbery  he 
extended  to  me  his  kindness  and  sympathy.  De- 
tectives had  in  the  meantime  been  put  upon  the 
track  of  the  thieves,  who  were  finally  captured,  and 
several  valuable  articles  such  as  gold-mounted  opera- 


ENGLISH    HARPSICHORD.     TWO   KEYBOARDS.     FIVE   OCTAVES. 
Made  by  Jacobus  Kirkman,  1769. 


Business  and  Minstrelsy          113 

and  eye-glasses  and  lorgnettes  were  found  and  re- 
stored to  the  opticians. 

The  misfortunes  which  befell  me,  together  with 
my  hopeless  love  for  the  singer  of  the  Adelaide 
reacted,  and  I  found  myself  in  a  very  serious  state 
of  mind,  so  I  concluded  to  stay  with  the  minstrels 
and  to  live  in  accordance  with  my  limited  salary,  for 
I  knew  that  I  was  in  duty  bound  to  repay  my  obliga- 
tions. I  therefore  set  out  to  find  a  room,  and  as 
the  bass  player  of  the  orchestra,  a  Mr.  Fritchie,  oc- 
cupied a  flat  on  the  fifth  floor  of  a  large  tenement 
house  on  Orchard  Street,  I  appealed  to  him,  and  he 
rented  me  a  small  room. 

One  Sunday  morning  shortly  after  the  robbery  I 
invited  my  string  quartet  there  for  the  purpose  of 
enjoying  a  substantial  quartet  feast.  And  it  was 
one,  for  we  sat  down  at  nine  A.M.  and  played  until 
midnight,  stopping  only  to  eat  and  drink  an  occa- 
sional glass  of  beer.  After  my  friends  left  I  threw 
myself  upon  the  bed  exhausted,  and  the  quartet 
feast  was  followed  by  one  of  the  most  restless  and 
wretched  nights  I  have  ever  spent.  The  excitement 
of  playing  and  my  unfortunate  position  resulted  in 
a  severe  illness,  for  when  morning  dawned  I  could 
not  get  up,  and  I  was  burning  with  fever.  Being 
unable  to  play  at  Buckley's,  my  financial  resources 
stopped,  and  as  I  needed  medicine  and  medical  as- 
sistance my  position  was  far  from  an  enviable  one. 
I  suffered  agony  for  a  few  days  until  my  good  land- 
lady, Mrs.  Fritchie,  finally  found  a  doctor  in  the 
neighborhood  who  pronounced  my  case  one  of 
typhoid  fever,  and  for  several  days  I  lay  at  death's 
door,  and  I  am  sure  that  I  would  have  died  had  it 


1 14  Reminiscences 

not  been  for  the  care  of  this  good  woman.  And 
after  the  delirium  had  passed  my  customary  will 
power  reasserted  itself,  and  I  was  enabled  to  throw 
off  the  disease,  and  finally  to  get  up  and  about 
again.  When  convalescing  I  remembered  that,  by 
the  advice  of  Dr.  F.,  I  had  joined  a  society  which 
promised  to  care  for  its  members  in  sickness  and 
death,  and  so  I  wrote  the  doctor,  telling  him  of  my 
helpless  condition,  and  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  a 
twenty-dollar  gold  piece  which  he  brought  to  me. 
My  complete  recovery  followed  slowly,  and  I  ac- 
cepted Mr.  Buckley's  offer  to  travel  with  his  band 
for  the  next  five  months  over  a  large  section  of 
country. 

We  opened  in  Bridgeport,  Connecticut,  playing  an 
engagement  the  next  night  in  New  Haven  in  Brew- 
ster's  Hall  on  the  corner  of  State  and  Chapel  Streets. 
I  had,  residing  at  that  time  in  the  "City  of  Elms," 
a  friend  by  the  name  of  Mrs.  Feldman,  whom  I  had 
met  at  Mrs.  L.'s  some  time  before,  and  who  re- 
quested me  to  call  upon  her  should  I  ever  visit  New 
Haven.  After  we  arrived  and  were  comfortably 
settled  at  the  Tontine  Hotel,  I  remembered  the  in- 
vitation and  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  the  hotel  to 
make  the  call  when  I  met  one  of  the  orchestra,  who 
told  me  that  Blitz,  the  pianist,  had  absolutely  refused 
to  play  again  and  had  already  left  for  New  York,  and 
that  Mr.  Buckley  feared  that  the  performance  could 
not  take  place,  as  there  was  no  one  to  play  the  piano. 
I  thought  the  matter  over  for  a  moment,  then  went 
to  Mr.  Buckley  and  told  him  that  I  knew  something 
about  the  pianoforte  and  would  play  that  evening. 
Mr.  Buckley  evidently  doubted  my  ability,  but  as 


Business  and  Minstrelsy          115 

there  was  no  one  to  play  the  solos  of  Mr.  J.  R. 
Thomas,  the  composer  and  ballad-singer,  and  Mr. 
Simpson,  the  tenor,  who  had  no  end  of  work,  to  say 
nothing  of  our  soprano,  Miss  Miller,  he  called  a 
rehearsal  with  me  at  the  piano.  I  must  have  given 
satisfaction,  for  at  the  close  of  the  rehearsal  Mr. 
Buckley  was  most  profuse  in  his  compliments,  and 
we  agreed  that  for  the  road  performances  I  should 
play  the  piano,  and  a  'cellist  was  immediately  sent 
for  from  New  York,  and  he  joined  us  in  New  Haven. 
It  was  a  little  after  eleven  when  I  left  the  hall, 
and  I  at  once  set  out  to  make  the  promised  call 
upon  Mrs.  Feldman.  She  received  me  cordially 
and  invited  me  to  dine  with  her  and  meet  her  hus- 
band, which  I  did.  At  dinner  both  she  and  Mr. 
Feldman  told  me  that  I  should  marry  and  settle 
down,  and  added  that  they  had  a  most  charming 
acquaintance  in  the  city  to  whom  they  would  be 
delighted  to  present  me.  Her  name  was  Miss  Caro- 
lina Dreyfuss,  and  she  was  a  teacher  of  French  in 
Miss  Bingham's  fashionable  school  on  York  Square. 
I  expressed  my  willingness  to  meet  her,  but  de- 
murred because  of  my  shabby  clothes,  whereupon 
Mr.  Feldman  said  that  he  had  a  clothing  store  on 
State  Street,  and  perhaps  he  might  be  able  to  fit 
me  out.  I  therefore  went  with  him  to  his  estab- 
lishment, agreeing  to  return  for  Mrs.  Feldman  at 
three  o'clock.  I  bought  a  dark-green  coat,  cut 
according  to  the  fashion  of  that  period,  and  a  hand- 
some yellow  satin  vest.  With  this  I  wore  white 
trousers  and  a  high  stock  with  flaring,  pointed  ends 
which  stuck  out  far  beyond  my  chin.  With  my 
silk  hat  and  cane  I  felt  that  I  was  most  correctly 


u6  Reminiscences 

and  elegantly  dressed,  that  is,  all  but  my  shoes;  so 
leaving  Mr.  Feldman  I  entered  a  little  shoe  store  of 
Isaac  Strauss,  and  giving  him  my  old  ones  to  patch, 
I  purchased  a  new  pair,  and  with  a  most  important 
air  called  for  Mrs.  Feldman,  and  together  we  set 
out  for  York  Square. 

We  were  kept  waiting  for  a  few  moments  in  the 
parlor,  then  Miss  Dreyfuss  entered,  and  when  I  arose 
to  greet  her  I  was  amazed  to  find  in  her  the  agree- 
able governess  whom  I  had  so  often  met  in  Coblenz. 
Miss  Dreyfuss  was  delighted  to  see  me  again,  and 
when  I  left  she  accepted  an  invitation  to  attend  our 
performance  that  evening.  I  called  for  her,  and 
she,  with  Mrs.  Feldman,  thoroughly  enjoyed  the 
evening  of  mirth,  minstrelsy,  and  song,  and  as  we 
were  walking  home  after  the  entertainment  I  told 
her  that  I  had  resolved  to  marry  and  settle  down, 
and  asked  her  if  she  would  marry  me  then  and 
there.  With  becoming  modesty,  she  said  that  she 
would  think  it  over  and  let  me  know,  and  with  this 
understanding  we  parted. 

While  on  our  journey,  being  in  the  neighborhood 
of  New  York,  we  were  assigned  one  week  for  rest, 
and  to  arrange  for  a  new  burlesque ;  but  one  day  we 
received  notice  that  we  would  play  a  night  stand  in 
Newark,  New  Jersey.  The  company  carried  a  man 
whose  business  it  was  to  look  after  the  transporta- 
tion, so  that  all  we  were  expected  to  do  was  to  be 
on  hand  at  the  train  at  the  time  scheduled  for 
leaving,  Mr.  Short,  for  that  was  his  name,  looking 
after  the  music,  etc.  We  were  told  upon  reaching 
Newark  that  the  burlesque  that  evening  would  be 
Sonnambula,  and  as  we  were  a  little  late  in  arriving 


Business  and  Minstrelsy          117 

we  proceeded  at  once  to  the  hall  and  took  our  places 
in  the  orchestra.  The  parts  were  all  arranged  on 
the  racks,  but  we  did  not  take  the  trouble  to  look 
at  them.  Mr.  Buckley  came  in  shortly,  took  his 
place,  and  as  it  was  nearly  time  to  ring  up  the  cur- 
Lain,  picked  up  his  score.  A  cry  of  horror  came 
from  his  lips,  and  with  a  white,  set  face  he  turned 
around  and  told  us  that  the  parts  on  the  racks  were 
those  of  the  Bohemian  Girl  instead  of  Sonnambula. 
It  was  a  critical  moment,  for  the  rest  of  the  music 
was  in  New  York,  and  the  company  was  dressed 
and  ready  to  go  on  in  Sonnambula.  What  was  to 
be  done  ?  Mr.  Buckley,  who  possessed  a  wonderful 
memory,  and  whose  duty  it  was  to  rehearse  the 
orchestra,  knew  every  opera  by  heart,  and  said  that 
he  knew  his  part,  but  that  he  did  not  expect  the  rest 
of  the  orchestra  to  play  the  score  without  notes. 
It  was  in  this  state  of  suspense  that  I  assured  him 
that  I  would  trust  to  my  memory  to  play  the  piano 
part  if  I  could  rely  upon  his  guidance  and  assist- 
ance. As  there  was  nothing  else  to  be  done,  we 
played  the  entire  opera  together,  and  I  am  happy  to 
state  that  the  performance  went  with  great  tclat. 

We  played  for  five  months,  travelling  as  far  west 
as  Cincinnati,  returning  to  New  York  in  time  for  the 
opening  of  the  season.  During  all  this  time  I  had 
heard  nothing  from  Miss  Dreyfuss  and  my  proposal, 
and  in  fact  I  had  not  thought  much  about  it,  for  we 
had  travelled  constantly,  and  my  mind  had  been 
taken  up  with  other  matters.  One  day,  while  stand- 
ing talking  with  several  members  of  the  company 
in  front  of  the  theatre  on  Broadway,  three  ladies 
passed,  and  in  one  of  them  I  recognized  my  friend 


n8  Reminiscences 

Miss  Dreyfuss.  Of  course  I  hastened  to  speak  to 
her,  and  she  presented  me  to  her  sisters,  following 
the  introduction  with  an  invitation  to  call,  as  she 
was  then  living  with  her  family  in  the  city.  I 
availed  myself  of  her  cordial  invitation,  and  soon  be- 
came a  frequent  visitor  at  her  home,  and  a  suitor  for 
her  hand.  Her  father  consented  to  an  engagement, 
and  I  now  determined  to  settle  down  and  become  a 
serious-minded  citizen;  so,  after  carefully  thinking 
the  matter  over,  I  resigned  my  position  with  the 
minstrels  and  selected  Baltimore,  Maryland,  as  the 
city  for  my  work  as  a  music-teacher,  being  assured 
that  it  was  an  Eldorado  for  a  good  piano  teacher. 
I  was  also  encouraged  by  the  fact  that  I  had  a 
cousin  residing  there  who  conducted  a  large  fur 
establishment.  I  advised  him  of  my  plan  to  settle 
in  his  city,  and  he  kindly  offered  me  a  home  with 
him  free  of  charge. 

I  left  New  York  full  of  hope,  and  arrived  in  Balti- 
more, where,  despite  my  efforts  and  those  of  my 
cousin,  I  was  unsuccessful  in  obtaining  pupils,  and 
after  spending  three  most  trying  months  there  I 
received  a  letter  from  a  gentleman  in  Savannah, 
Georgia,  who  owned  a  large  musical  establishment 
in  that  city.  The  letter  stated  that  while  North  on 
a  business  trip  the  writer  had  asked  Mr.  Schirmer, 
the  great  music  publisher,  to  recommend  an  efficient 
young  man  to  fill  the  position  of  clerk  in  his  store, 
and  that  Mr.  Schirmer  had  spoken  very  highly  of 
me.  Mr.  Berg  thereupon  offered  me  the  position, 
with  a  salary  of  six  hundred  dollars  a  year,  and  also 
said  that  he  had  arranged  for  me  to  play  the  organ 
in  the  Whitaker  Square  Baptist  Church,  with  an 


Business  and  Minstrelsy          119 

additional  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars.  This 
offer  seemed  a  munificent  one  to  me,  and  I  ac- 
cepted it,  starting  for  Savannah  early  in  the  fall, 
and  for  the  first  time  in  my  life  I  appeared  in  the 
role  of  music  clerk,  piano  salesman,  and  repairer  of 
accordions,  banjos,  guitars,  and  violins. 

Savannah  was  even  at  that  time  quite  a  musical 
centre,  having  musicians  who  played  orchestral  in- 
struments, and  one  day  there  arrived  in  our  midst 
Carl  Vieweg  as  organist  at  Christ  Church.  He  was 
an  excellent  violinist,  and  the  musicians  of  the  city 
under  his  direction  formed  an  orchestra  called  the 
Mozart  Club.  There  were  perhaps  twenty-five 
members,  and  all  of  the  orchestral  instruments  were 
represented  except  the  oboes  and  bassoons.  As 
there  was  only  one  French  horn  player,  I  attempted 
to  play  the  second  French  horn  instead  of  the  'cello, 
for  there  were  besides  myself  two  excellent  'cello 
players  in  the  organization.  Our  concerts  were  well 
patronized,  and  the  61ite  of  that  exclusive  Southern 
city  interested  themselves  in  the  club,  and  it  was  a 
financial  as  well  as  an  artistic  success.  My  em- 
ployer, Mr.  Berg,  was  a  fair  viola  player,  and  with 
Mr.  Vieweg's  assistance  as  first  violin,  another  friend 
as  second  violin,  and  myself  as  'cellist,  we  formed  a 
string  quartet,  and  enjoyed  many  delightful  hours 
together. 

There  resided  in  Savannah  at  that  time  a  wealthy 
cotton  merchant,  a  Mr.  Niles  Haversham,  who  was 
a  flutist  and  a  musical  enthusiast.  His  wife  was  a 
pianist  of  marked  ability,  and  it  was  at  his  splendid 
mansion  that  we  spent  many  musical  evenings,  play- 
ing quintets  and  sextets.  While  I  did  not  have  the 


i2O  Reminiscences 

pleasure  of  meeting  Mr.  Haversham  after  our  last 
musical  evening,  which  occurred  over  forty  years 
ago,  it  is  a  deplorable  fact  that,  on  account  of  the 
war  and  the  misfortunes  which  followed,  my  noble 
host  lost  his  entire  fortune. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  kindness  shown  me  at  this 
time  by  several  gentlemen  who  resided  in  Savannah 
but  who  were  born  and  came  to  the  United  States 
from  Burg-Haslach,  a  town  adjacent  to  Scheinfeld, 
viz.,  the  three  brothers  Meinhard.  Many  a  time 
did  we  sit  together  in  remembrance  of  the  beautiful 
country  which  gave  us  birth,  and  as  they,  like  myself, 
were  not  born  with  golden  spoons  in  their  mouths, 
and,  similarly  to  me,  had  to  struggle  for  their  very 
existence  in  a  far-off  country,  away  from  the  influ- 
ence of  home  and  the  sweet  family  ties,  our  meet- 
ings were  imbued  with  the  hopes  which  bring  men 
and  women  to  greater  success,  and  our  association 
is  one  of  the  pleasant  memories  of  my  life  in  the 
sunny  South. 

Being  now  comfortably  settled  in  Savannah,  I 
concluded  to  marry,  and  requested  my  fiancee  to 
come  South  for  that  purpose,  which  she  did,  and 
the  /th  of  January,  1857,  was  set  for  our  wedding. 
I  had  quite  forgotten  that  upon  that  evening  the 
Mozart  Club  was  to  give  one  of  the  season's  con- 
certs, and  as  I  would  not  think  of  postponing  the 
happy  event,  and  as  the  bad  second  horn  player  was 
of  as  much  importance  to  the  success  of  the  concert 
as  of  the  wedding,  I  decided  to  play  my  horn  on  the 
very  evening  when  I  entered  upon  the  happy  state 
of  wedlock.  After  the  ceremony  I  invited  the 
bridal  party  to  the  concert,  and  the  day  will  ever  be 


Business  and  Minstrelsy          121 

a  memorable  one  in  my  domestic  and  musical  life. 
It  will  not  be  amiss  to  state  here  the  dowry  brought 
me  by  my  wife,  which  consisted  of  the  sum  of 
twenty-five  dollars.  As  for  myself,  I  could  not  offer 
quite  as  much,  for  my  financial  condition  was  con- 
siderably below  par.  Through  the  assistance  of  my 
employer,  Mr.  Berg,  I  obtained  enough  furniture  to 
fit  out  our  small  house,  and  we  started  housekeeping 
with  great  promise,  and  were  very  happy. 

While  my  good  wife  did  not  possess  such  musical 
abilities  as  to  be  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  musi- 
cal side  of  my  nature,  I  found  in  her  a  woman  of 
superior  intellect,  strong  character,  modest  in  her 
bearing,  and  having  a  full  complement  of  those 
requirements  that  contribute  to  a  happy  home. 
She  had  undoubted  literary  ability,  being  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  literature  of  all  periods,  and  as 
she  combined  with  it  the  sweetness  and  tenderness 
of  a  true  and  affectionate  helpmate,  she  brought  to 
my  life  much  peace  and  happiness.  She,  like  my- 
self, had  been  forced  to  struggle  from  her  girlhood 
to  improve  her  mind  under  conditions  the  most  try- 
ing, teaching  school  in  France  when  hardly  out  of 
her  teens,  and  when  she  grew  older  she  had  been 
called  upon  to  help  in  the  support  of  her  parents. 
She  was  charitable  and  religious,  a  devoted  daughter 
and  wife.  In  appearance,  she  belonged  to  the 
brunette  type,  having  dark  and  expressive  eyes, 
with  a  sweet  mouth  which  showed  great  firmness  and 
strength  of  character.  She  was  blessed  with  a  lot 
of  patience  and  forbearance,  and  while  her  face  in 
conversation  was  animated  and  vivacious,  in  repose 
it  was  haunted  by  a  look  of  unutterable  sadness. 


122  Reminiscences 

She  was  a  beautiful,  graceful  woman,  with  a  low, 
sweet  voice  that  was  always  musical.  She  was 
fully  aware  of  the  path  that  lay  before  us,  but  she 
looked  with  admiration  upon  my  abilities  and  knew 
how  to  stimulate  them  in  a  masterly  but  womanly 
way.  While  there  was  but  little  hope  as  to  our 
future  prosperity,  we  both  looked  at  least  with 
bright  eyes  and  cheerful  hearts  to  the  far-off  bless- 
ings which  we  felt  sure  lay  before  us,  and  even  in 
our  very  poverty  we  were  happy. 

The  state  of  musical  culture  which  then  prevailed 
in  that  section  of  the  South  was  not  in  keeping  with 
the  musical  culture  which  I  had  found  in  my  travels 
in  Europe,  and  for  that  reason  what  I  am  about  to 
relate  did  not  surprise  me.  One  day  a  young  man, 
by  the  name  of  Farrell,  applied  to  me  for  instruc- 
tion upon  the  pianoforte.  He  was  about  twenty-one 
years  old,  and  was  associated  with  his  brother  in  the 
grocery  business.  He  was  also  the  leader  of  the  choir 
in  the  church  where  I  played  the  organ,  and  under 
whose  auepices  I  was  engaged,  so  I  undertook  to 
teach  him  the  art  of  piano  playing.  I  have  always 
looked  upon  Mozart's  Don  Juan  as  the  gospel  of 
lyric  opera,  and  for  that  reason  I  kept  the  score  of 
this  immortal  work  on  my  piano,  and  every  day  I 
revelled  in  the  beauty  of  the  heavenly  composition. 
One  evening  when  Farrell  came  in  for  his  lesson, 
he  noticed  the  score  on  my  music-rack,  and  in  an 
inquisitive  way  said,  as  he  pointed  to  it,  "  What  is 
that,  Professor?" — a  title  which  I  must  have  ob- 
tained from  the  University  of  the  Grocery.  I  told 
him  that  it  was  a  musical  composition  of  great  merit 
by  Mozart,  whereupon  he  said,  "Who  is  this  Mozart? 


VERTICAL   GRAND.     SIX    OCTAVES. 
Made  by  Andre  Stein,  1779. 


Business  and  Minstrelsy          123 

Does  he  live  in  New  York?"  I  hastened  to  en- 
lighten his  ignorance  by  saying  that  Mozart  was 
born  in  Salzburg,  that  he  had  died  many  years  ago, 
but  that  his  name  was  known  all  over  the  world  as  a 
great  musician.  "  Great  musician,  eh  ?  "  said  Far- 
rell.  '  You  are  a  great  musician,  too.  Now  then, 
what  's  the  difference  between  you  and  Mozart  ?  " 
I  tried  in  vain  to  explain  the  small  difference  that 
existed  between  us,  but  I  fear  it  was  useless,  for 
Farrell  continued  to  look  upon  me  as  a  musician 
quite  equal  to  the  master. 

My  good  fortune  in  thus  obtaining  pupils  turned 
out  in  the  end  to  be  my  misfortune,  for  I  must  state 
that  my  employer,  Mr.  Berg,  was  also  a  music- 
teacher,  devoting  most  of  his  time  to  teaching,  and 
as  some  of  his  pupils  came  to  me  for  instruction,  a 
feeling  of  rivalry  sprang  up  between  us  which  endan- 
gered my  position,  and  as  it  increased  every  day  my 
situation  was  made  decidedly  unpleasant  for  me. 
One  day  I  told  Mr.  Berg,  for  it  was  near  the  end  of 
my  first  year  with  him,  that  I  wished  to  resign, 
having  with  sincere  regret  noticed  the  unpleasant- 
ness which  of  late  had  come  between  us,  and  for  that 
reason  I  had  decided  to  devote  all  of  my  spare  time 
to  the  teaching  of  music.  This  bit  of  news  seemed 
to  give  Mr.  Berg  great  uneasiness,  for  he  probably 
expected  that  I  might  be  a  strong  competitor  in  a 
field  which  he  had  so  long  enjoyed  alone ;  but  when 
I  added  that  I  would  not  choose  to  remain  in  Savan- 
nah ;  that  as  my  wife  was  a  fine  French  teacher  I  had 
decided  to  try  and  get  a  position  in  some  ladies' 
seminary  where  she  could  also  teach,  he  seemed 
relieved,  and  kindly  offered  to  find  such  a  place  for 


124 


Reminiscences 


me.  Through  his  good  offices  I  was  offered  the 
chair  of  music  in  a  young  ladies'  school  at  Thomas- 
ville,  Georgia,  and  as  it  seemed  to  be  just  what  I 
was  looking  for,  I  hastened  to  accept  it.  Before 
leaving  Savannah  my  wife  presented  me  with  a  son, 
Henry,  and  as  she  was  unable  to  accompany  me,  for 
the  trip  was  at  that  time  a  tedious  one,  being  made 
partly  by  stage,  I  left  her  in  Savannah  and  started 
out  for  Thomasville  alone.  When  I  saw  the  place 
I  felt  the  keenest  disappointment,  and  regretted 
that  I  had  ever  left  Savannah. 


CHAPTER  VII 

Teacher  of  Music  in  Thomasville,  Georgia — Visit  to  Colonel  Bailey's 
Plantation — Tallahassee — Athens,  Georgia — War  of  the  Re- 
bellion 

THOMASVILLE  was  at  that  time  a  little  town 
which  I  felt  could  offer  me  nothing,  accus- 
tomed as  I  was  to  living  in  populous  cities;  and 
when  I  was  directed  to  the  seminary  proper,  I  was 
simply  amazed,  for  I  saw  before  me  a  single  brick 
house,  which  contained  several  recitation  rooms  for 
the  day  pupils,  those  coming  from  out  of  town 
having  to  find  board  in  the  village.  The  school 
buildings  stood  upon  an  elevation,  surrounded  by  a 
wooded  grove,  and  quite  apart  from  the  town,  while 
the  music  department  was  a  small  frame  building  of 
one  little  room,  about  one  hundred  feet  away  from 
the  seminary.  Despite  my  feelings,  I  hastened  to 
present  myself  to  the  principal  of  the  school,  a 
maiden  lady  by  the  name  of  Hansel.  She  received 
me  cordially,  telling  me  that  she  had  a  dozen  pupils 
whom  I  should  instruct  in  pianoforte  playing,  and 
that  my  fee  would  consist  in  so  much  money  for  each 
pupil;  but  noting  my  look  of  disappointment,  she 
hastened  to  assure  me  that  if  I  proved  as  competent 

125 


i26  Reminiscences 

an  instructor  as  my  predecessor,  Mr.  Gibson,  the 
number  of  pupils  would  be  appreciably  increased. 

I  cannot  say  that  I  was  greatly  pleased  with  my 
prospects,  but  I  felt  that  I  must  make  the  best  of  it, 
and  take  my  first  step  in  the  profession  I  had  deter- 
mined to  follow ;  so  swallowing  my  pride  I  began  my 
teaching.  I  found  that  my  pupils  were  young  women 
who  had  never  studied  the  pianoforte,  and  that  their 
interest  in  its  study  was  simply  for  the  purpose  of 
learning  how  to  play  a  few  pieces  for  their  own 
amusement  and  the  pleasure  of  their  friends.  I  as- 
sure you  that  at  no  time  was  my  position  an  enviable 
one,  and  I  was  greatly  disturbed  one  day  when  Miss 
Hansel  came  to  the  studio  and  politely  informed  me 
that  she  did  not  approve  of  my  method  of  teaching ; 
that  my  pupils  had  scarcely  advanced  and  were 
unable  to  "  play  a  piece  "  ;  that  Mr.  Gibson's  way  of 
teaching  was  entirely  different,  he  having  trained 
his  pupils  especially  for  the  quarterly  exhibition, 
where  they  were  expected  to  appear  with  credit  to 
themselves,  every  pupil  being  able  to  play  or  sing 
acceptably.  She  further  stated  that  upon  this  enter- 
tainment depended  very  largely  the  success  of  the 
school,  and  unless  my  pupils  were  ready  to  appear 
and  do  credit  to  themselves  at  the  coming  exhibition 
she  would  have  no  further  need  of  my  services. 
Before  leaving  she  told  me  that  Mr.  Gibson  always 
accompanied  each  pupil  upon  some  instrument, 
which  not  only  gave  the  pupil  greater  confidence 
but  also  gave  more  tone  color  to  the  performance. 

Our  conversation  terminated  by  Miss  Hansel  giv- 
ing me  strict  orders  to  begin  training  the  pupils 
at  once,  which  I  agreed  to  do,  but  I  made  up  my 


Southern  Life  127 

mind  then  and  there  to  sever  my  connection  with 
the  school  as  professor  of  music  at  the  end  of  the 
quarter.  I  decided,  however*  that  as  a  grand  finale 
I  would  show  the  worthy  maiden  lady  my  ability  as 
a  useful  assistant  to  my  unskilful  pupils.  I  remem- 
bered full  well  old  Dazian's  instruction  in  Scheinfeld, 
and  I  thought  that  he  would  have  found  a  congenial 
field  for  his  teaching  in  Thomasville.  The  next  day 
I  brought  out  my  violin,  violoncello,  flute,  accordion, 
guitar,  banjo,  and  cornet,  and  immediately  my  pupils 
became  interested  in  the  one  simple  piece  I  taught 
them.  To  my  joy,  when  the  day  for  the  exhibition 
arrived  they  carried  off  the  honors,  and  at  the  close 
of  the  performance  Miss  Hansel  and  the  patrons  of 
the  school  congratulated  me  on  my  unprecedented 
success, — I  was  the  great  musician  of  Thomasville, 
Georgia,  a  worthy  successor  to  Mr.  Gibson,  and  I 
was  offered  the  position  for  life. 

Although  my  professional  life  was  far  from  en- 
viable, my  domestic  and  social  condition  was  equally 
bad.  I  boarded  with  a  man  named  Tyson,  the 
family  consisting  of  the  old  gentleman,  who  was 
about  sixty-five,  a  son,  and  a  daughter,  and,  while  I 
had  a  comfortable  room,  the  table  differed  greatly 
from  that  offered  in  Berlin,  Paris,  St.  Petersburg,  or 
New  York,  and  as  the  use  of  the  cooking-stove  was 
not  in  vogue  the  culinary  department  was  very 
primitive  and  did  not  permit  of  many  delicacies.  A 
building  detached  from  the  living  apartments  and 
having  a  big  fireplace  was  used  as  a  kitchen,  and 
connected  with  the  fireplace  was  a  large  brick  oven 
for  roasting  the  meat  which  we  occasionally  indulged 
in.  Over  the  fire,  suspended  from  a  crane,  was  a 


128  Reminiscences 

large  pot,  which  was  used  one  day  for  bacon  and 
greens,  the  next  for  greens  and  bacon,  while  our 
bread  consisted  of  a  mixture  of  corn-meal,  molasses, 
and  salt,  which  was  baked  in  the  pot.  Soup  was  an 
unknown  quantity,  while  fresh  meat,  as  I  have  al- 
ready stated,  was  a  luxury,  and  depended  upon  the 
killing  of  a  steer  in  the  neighborhood  and  the  buying 
of  a  quarter  of  it,  which  after  a  few  meals  was  usu- 
ally salted  and  kept  for  the  use  of  future  genera- 
tions. As  for  vegetables,  aside  from  the  tomato, 
sweet  potato,  cabbage,  and  an  occasional  dish  of 
Irish  potatoes,  there  was  nothing  else  to  be  found 
in  the  gardens  of  Thomasville.  Granulated  sugar 
was  not  known  in  those  days,  but  the  beverage 
called  coffee,  and  which  was  indistinctly  related  to 
that  product,  was  sweetened  with  brown  sugar  or 
molasses  ;  in  fact,  the  latter  was  a  very  popular 
sweet,  and  was  eaten  in  large  quantities  with  the 
morning  hoe-cake.  Occasionally  a  chicken  was  sac- 
rificed to  vary  the  monotony.  Pies  were  also  in- 
dulged in,  but  I  did  not  consider  it  advisable  to 
tempt  Providence  by  trying  them,  although  I  've 
since  regretted  that  I  did  not  take  one  piece  and 
note  the  effect  for  the  benefit  of  my  successor  if 
nothing  more. 

Had  it  not  been  for  a  German  confectioner  resid- 
ing there,  I  am  sure  I  would  have  shrivelled  up  and 
blown  away.  This  man  derived  a  fair  income  by  bak- 
ing and  selling  bread,  increasing  his  yearly  earnings 
by  selling  fancy  goods  and  temperance  drinks.  This 
good  German  I  felt  to  be  my  only  friend,  for  Mr. 
Stark  in  his  early  days  before  coming  to  Thomas- 
ville had  been  initiated  in  the  art  of  soup-making, 


Southern  Life  129 

and  he  had  heard  of  a  beefsteak  with  onions.  He 
was  a  bachelor ;  and  as  once  upon  a  time  he  had  been 
a  barber,  and  in  consequence  knew  how  to  play  the 
guitar,  his  love  for  the  divine  art — I  do  not  now 
refer  to  his  tonsorial  but  to  his  musical  art — caused 
him  to  appear  in  the  role  of  an  humanitarian.  When 
one  day  in  despair  I  told  him  the  condition  of  my 
inner  man,  which  Tyson's  table  had  brought  about, 
he  seized  his  guitar  and  played  a  fandango,  thus  dis- 
playing his  virtuosity,  and  I,  being  the  audience  and 
realizing  what  there  was  in  store  for  me  if  I  praised 
his  efforts,  found  plenty  of  neat  and  pretty  compli- 
ments at  the  close  of  his  performance.  In  exchange 
for  my  liberal  praise  I  never  failed  to  receive  a 
hearty  repast,  consisting  of  a  plate  of  good  rich  soup, 
and  a  deliciously  browned  pfannekuchen,  while,  if 
I  went  into  ecstasies  over  the  fandango,  he  felt  con- 
strained to  go  to  his  little  stove-=-the  only  one  in  all 
Thomasville — and  cook  me  a  beefsteak  smothered 
in  onions.  I  have  since  regretted  this  deception, 
but  it  was  at  that  time  my  only  chance,  and  so  I 
sacrificed  Mr.  Stark  that  I  might  live  to  inflict  upon 
you  these  reminiscences. 

My  wife  having  now  recovered  from  her  illness,  I 
felt  a  longing  to  see  her  and  my  infant  son,  so  I 
wrote  her  to  come  to  Thomasville,  which  she  did. 
As  my  boarding-place  at  Mr.  Tyson's  could  not 
afford  us  sufficient  room,  I  started  out  in  search  of 
a  small  house  which  I  might  rent  and  go  to  house- 
keeping. I  found  a  little  one-story  cabin  in  the 
woods,  and  as  it  seemed  the  best  house  within  the 
limits  of  my  pocketbook  I  rented  it  on  the  spot. 
The  building  was  raised  above  the  ground  on  stumps 


i3°  Reminiscences 

of  trees  and  was  not  boarded  up,  leaving  a  space  of 
some  feet  underneath  for  additional  coolness  in 
summer  and  also  to  keep  the  place  from  becoming 
damp.  As  I  have  already  stated,  the  little  cabin 
stood  away  from  the  town  in  the  pine  woods,  and 
although  I  feared  that  it  might  at  times  be  lonely, 
we  sent  for  our  household  furniture  in  Savannah, 
and  were  soon  settled  in  our  new  abode.  The  front 
steps  led  directly  into  the  living-room,  a  door 
communicated  with  another  apartment  a  little 
smaller,  while  in  the  rear  there  was  a  space  evidently 
intended  as  a  storeroom.  A  large  fireplace  served 
to  furnish  us  with  heat,  and  was  also  used  for  cook- 
ing, for  it  had  the  customary  long  iron  bar  from 
which  was  suspended  the  iron  pot.  We  had  plenty 
of  bacon,  corn-meal,  coffee,  eggs,  and  chickens,  but 
there  was  a  dearth  of  fresh  beef,  which  was  scarce 
and  high,  and  which  was  brought  irregularly  to  the 
town  by  the  planters,  who  used  to  halt  under  a  little 
summer-house  in  the  centre  of  the  principal  street, 
and  ring  a  bell  to  let  the  beef-eaters  know  of  their 
arrival.  I  always  made  it  a  point  to  stand  on  the 
corner  on  the  days  when  one  was  expected,  so  as 
not  to  trust  to  the  ringing  of  the  bell  and  perhaps 
get  left  after  all.  My  good  wife  knew  how  to  con- 
form to  the  limitations  of  the  provisional  govern- 
ment then  extant,  and  I  shall  never  forget  the  really 
fine  steaks  she  prepared  for  me  after  my  return  from 
an  onslaught  on  the  beef  market.  One  day  while 
reading  I  was  startled  by  a  cry  from  the  front  room 
where  my  wife  was  engaged  in  preparing  supper. 
Throwing  down  my  paper  I  rushed  to  her  and  found 
her  dress  a  mass  of  flame,  her  light  gown  having 


Southern  Life  I31 

caught  fire  from  the  blazing  log  over  which  she  was 
cooking.  I  ran  back,  seized  the  bedding  from  the 
bed,  threw  Mrs.  Steinert  down  on  the  floor,  and 
quickly  enveloping  her  in  the  blankets  smothered 
the  flame,  and  she  escaped  with  a  few  slight  burns. 
By  a  strange  coincidence  the  same  thing  had  hap- 
pened at  the  seminary  but  a  few  weeks  before, 
when  one  of  my  pupils  who  was  standing  in  front 
of  the  fireplace  found  her  thin  muslin  dress  on  fire, 
and  I  saved  her  life  by  covering  her  with  a  large 
floor  rug.  Miss  Jones,  for  that  was  her  name,  in- 
stead of  being  grateful  to  me  for  saving  her  life, 
seemed  to  take  an  intense  dislike  to  me,  and  from 
that  day  she  became  my  bitterest  enemy. 

The  mode  of  life  in  our  cabin  in  the  sunny  South 
lost  much  of  its  charm  because  we  were  constantly 
annoyed,  especially  at  night,  by  a  perfect  stampede 
of  pigs  under  our  house,  and  this,  with  its  lonely 
location  in  the  woods,  quite  away  from  neighbors, 
and  the  necessity  of  carrying  all  of  the  water  for 
some  distance,  made  us  decide  to  move.  We  gave 
up  housekeeping  and  went  to  live  with  a  widow, 
a  Mrs.  Foster,  who  furnished  us  with  comfort- 
able lodgings  in  her  pretty  home  in  the  village. 
Mrs.  Foster's  family  consisted  of  a  charming  grown 
daughter  and  a  young  son,  and  the  daughter  took 
guitar  lessons  of  me  in  part  payment  for  our  board, 
thus  reducing  our  expenses. 

One  day,  while  giving  Miss  Foster  her  guitar  les- 
son in  the  sitting-room,  her  brother  Bertie,  a  lad  of 
about  eight  or  nine  years,  entered,  and,  crossing,  dis- 
appeared through  the  door  into  an  adjoining  room, 
where  in  one  corner  stood  an  old  army  musket  which 


132  Reminiscences 

was  loaded.  Happening  to  glance  up,  I  saw  the 
boy  in  the  door  with  the  gun  in  his  hand,  which  he 
could  not  lift,  as  it  was  very  heavy.  Before  I  could 
rise  and  go  to  him  the  gun  exploded,  and  the  bullet 
lodged  in  the  ceiling  directly  over  my  head;  and 
when  another  and  more  serious  shooting  affair  hap- 
pened the  Sunday  following  I  decided  that  I  was 
never  to  die  by  accident.  It  was  a  lovely,  balmy 
afternoon,  and  I  was  walking  down  the  wide  village 
street,  leisurely  smoking  my  cigar  and  speculating 
upon  the  future,  when  I  was  startled  by  a  sharp  re- 
port, and  I  felt  a  bullet  whiz  past  my  face.  I 
stopped  and  looked  across  the  street,  where  I  saw  a 
man  greatly  excited  again  loading  his  gun,  and  as  I 
looked  he  ran  towards  me,  and  I  dodged  and  barely 
escaped  the  second  shot.  Without  a  word  I  turned 
on  my  heel  and  started  on  the  run  up  the  street,  the 
man  in  hot  pursuit.  Finally  he  caught  up  with  me 
and  exclaimed  excitedly,  "  Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon. 
What  did  I  do  ?  Are  you  hurt  ?  I  am  so  sorry,  but 
I  thought  you  were  the  scoundrel  who  ran  away  with 
my  wife,  and  I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  kill  you. 
Thanks  to  my  poor  markmanship,  you  are  safe." 
He  was  very  profuse  in  his  apologies,  but  I  was  not 
to  be  pacified  so  easily,  and  had  him  arrested,  for  I 
believed  him  a  dangerous  man  to  be  at  large.  After 
a  mock  hearing  he  was  allowed  to  go  free  because 
no  one  was  killed,  though  it  was  not  his  fault  that 
there  was  n't. 

While  boarding  with  Mrs.  Foster  I  met  some 
pleasant  people,  and,  among  others,  a  man  by  the 
name  of  Perkins  who  conducted  a  large  store  in  the 
village,  and  who  visited  New  York  City  yearly  for 


Southern  Life  133 

the  purpose  of  purchasing  goods.  Returning  from 
such  a  visit  he  came  in  to  tell  us  all  about  it.  We 
greeted  him  cordially,  delighted  to  have  news  of  the 
metropolis,  and  I  asked  him  how  he  had  enjoyed  his 
trip.  He  replied  that  he  had  had  a  fine  time  and 
hated  to  come  home.  I  thereupon  said,  "  What 
did  you  see  ? "  He  answered  that  he  had  attended 
a  large  revival  where  he  had  heard  some  powerful 
speakers  and  seen  hundreds  of  men  converted. 
'  Did  n't  you  see  anything  else  ?"  I  interrogated. 
"  Oh,  yes,  I  attended  a  shooting-gallery  one  eve- 
ning." "  But,"  said  I,  impatiently,  "  I  suppose 
you  went  to  the  theatre?"  To  this  he  assented, 
and,  as  I  read  the  Herald  daily  and  knew  that  the 
opera  season  was  at  its  height  and  that  Lucrezia 
Borgia  was  being  magnificently  sung,  I  further 
queried,  "  And  how  about  the  opera — did  n't  you 
hear  Lucrezia  Borgia  f "  He  thought  a  second, 
then  said  "  Lucrezia  Borgia  !  Lucrezia  Borgia!  No 
I  did  n't  go — she  was  out  of  town  the  week  I  was 
there." 

Having  severed  my  connection  with  the  seminary 
in  the  woods,  I  had  to  look  around  for  some  other 
means  of  support ;  and,  while  I  had  a  few  private 
pupils  in  the  village,  my  earnings  were  not  sufficient 
to  support  my  family,  so  I  again  embraced  my 
little  tuning-hammer,  and  occasionally  found  some 
old-fashioned  piano  that  needed  my  skilful  assist- 
ance. The  first  tuning  I  did  was  for  Mr.  Tyson, 
where  I  formerly  boarded.  He  had  an  old  piano 
that  must  have  enjoyed  sweet  solace  and  silence  for 
many  years,  because  when  he  sent  for  me  to  examine 
it  and  asked  my  opinion  as  to  whether  it  was  in  need 


134  Reminiscences 

of  tuning,  and  I*  told  him  that  it  was  sadly  in  need 
of  it,  he  replied,  "  Why,  that 's  strange,  Mr.  Stein- 
ert;  I  had  it  tuned  only  twenty  years  ago."  I  must 
have  had  an  eye  to  business  when  I  became  a  piano- 
forte tuner,  for  one  morning  a  negro  slave  came 
galloping  into  Thomasville  astride  a  handsome 
thoroughbred  horse,  and  stopping  at  Mr.  Foster's 
dismounted  and  inquired  of  me,  for  I  was  on  the 
piazza.,  if  ' '  the  Professor  ' '  lived  there,  and  if  he  was 
at  home.  Smiling  at  the  title,  but  feeling  rather  set 
up  to  be  thus  addressed,  I  said,  "  You  are  standing 
before  the  Professor;  what  can  I  do  for  you  ? " 

"  Marse  Bailey/'  said  he,  "  done  gone  and  sont 
me  yere  to  tell  yo'  to  come  right  out  to  de  planta- 
tion an'  fix  up  de  pianner  fer  him,  'cause  de  Missus' 
chillun  comin'  from  New  York  to-day,  an'  dey  mus' 
have  de  pianner  fixed." 

"  Where  does  Marse  Bailey  live  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Oh,  on  de  plantation  over  in  Flurridy,  'bout 
thirty  miles  from  here,  an'  Massa  tol*  me  to  say  dat 
yo'  should  come  right  'long  with  me.  He  sho'  did." 

My  wife  who  had  been  silently  listening  to  the 
conversation  said  to  me  in  German  that  I  should 
not  think  of  going  on  such  a  wild-goose  chase  and 
to  pay  no  attention  to  the  fellow.  As  she  had  by 
this  time  trained  me  to  entire  submission  I  felt  my- 
self considerably  in  the  minority,  even  had  I  dared 
to  visit  a  plantation  in  Florida,  and  thus  enjoy  a 
horseback  ride  of  thirty  miles  through  an  unknown 
country  with  a  negro  slave  for  my  companion ;  so, 
in  keeping  with  my  position,  I  informed  the  slave 
that  I  would  not  go,  whereupon  the  negro  was 
dumfounded,  and  said  :  "  I  reckon  yo'  don'  know 


Southern  Life  135 

Marse  Bailey,  suh.  Why,  he  say  dat  yo'  mus'  come, 
and,  golly!  yo'  oughter  know  what  dat  means.  I 
'low  yo'  don'  know  Marse  Bailey."  I  again  sub- 
missively appealed  to  my  wife,  but  she  most  em- 
phatically said  no,  and  the  negro,  protesting,  rode 
off  without  me. 

A  few  days  after  this  episode  the  fellow  returned 
and  told  me  in  the  most  imperative  and  impressive 
manner  that  his  master  was  ' '  powerful ' '  angry  when 
he  came  back  without  me,  and  that  unless  I  came  at 
once  to  the  plantation  and  fixed  the  piano  he  would 
come  for  me  himself,  and  that  there  was  bound  to 
be  a  fight  if  he  did.  In  this  somewhat  trying  posi- 
tion I  looked  into  the  soulful  eyes  of  my  wife  who 
sat  upon  the  steps  of  the  piazza,  with  our  young  son, 
silently  pleading  with  her  to  be  allowed  to  go.  As 
she  still  objected,  I  told  her  that  I  was  certain  of 
bringing  home  a  large  sum  for  my  services,  and  that 
it  might  lead  up  to  considerable  business  among  the 
wealthy  planters  in  the  vicinity.  Mrs.  Steinert  was 
a  practical  woman,  and  she  valued  money  more  than 
I  did ;  so  she  meditated  upon  the  business  side  of 
the  transaction,  and  after  a  while  graciously  con- 
sented, and  I  went  with  the  slave  to  the  stable  for  a 
good  saddle-horse  upon  which  to  make  the  journey. 
The  proprietor  told  me  that  he  had  just  what  I 
needed,  and  that  he  would  have  her  saddled  and  at 
the  door  in  fifteen  minutes,  so  I  went  back,  and, 
putting  a  few  necessary  articles  in  a  strap,  went  to 
the  gate  and  waited  for  the  horse. 

You  can  imagine  my  surprise  when  I  saw  a  negro 
approaching  astride  a  big,  lank,  brown  mule,  the  ex- 
pression of  whose  face  and  the  drooping  of  whose 


136  Reminiscences 

long  ears  was  anything  but  reassuring ;  whereupon 
the  following  conversation  took  place,  the  slave 
upon  his  handsome  thoroughbred  grinning  with 
suppressed  laughter. 

"  But,  Sam,  I  thought  that  your  master  would 
provide  me  with  a  horse,  not  a  mule,  for  this  long 
journey  ? " 

"  Why,  Marse  Steinert,"  he  said,  as  he  dismounted 
and  walked  around  the  creature,  that  stood  with  her 
fore  feet  firmly  planted,  "  I  reckon  yo'  don'  know 
Hannah — why  she  's  de  likeliest  mule  in  Thomas- 
ville,  dat  she  is,  suh,  an'  she  '11  get  yo'  over  de 
groun'  fas'er  dan  any  horse  in  dis  yere  town,  suh — 
Hannah  's  a  great  mule,  Professor,  an'  yo'  don' 
have  to  frail  'er,  suh." 

That  may  be,  but  Hannah  looks  as  if  she  had  a 
mind  of  her  own.  But  I  '11  try  her  anyway.  Just 
strap  this  package  on  the  saddle,  Sam,  and  I  '11 
mount."  I  handed  the  negro  my  small  parcel 
which  he  proceeded  to  strap  to  the  saddle. 

'  You  '11  fin'  Hannah  all  right  after  yo'  get 
'quainted  with  her,"  he  said  reassuringly;  "she 
ain't  much  fer  style,  sho'  nuff,  but  if  yo'  want  a 
right  steady  critter  that  can  go  right  'long  an'  nebber 
give  out,  Hannah  is  de  mule  for  yo'." 

Hannah  had  stood  stock-still  during  this  conver- 
sation, never  saying  a  word,  her  ears  laid  back  and 
her  deeply  sunken,  elephant-like  eyes  calmly  taking 
me  in.  After  several  attempts  to  mount  I  found 
myself  on  Hannah's  back,  and  I  felt  nearer  heaven 
than  I  have  ever  felt  since,  for  she  was  the  tallest 
mule  I  have  ever  seen.  I  seized  the  reins,  while 
Sam  whispered  some  magical  words  in  her  ear,  and 


Southern  Life  137 

presto !  we  were  off  like  the  wind,  the  crowd  that  had 
collected  shouting ' '  Good  luck ! ' '  All  I  could  do  was 
to  hold  on  as  Hannah  flew  after  the  dark  leader,  but 
when  we  were  about  a  mile  from  the  town  we  came 
to  a  fork  in  the  roads,  whereupon  Hannah  laid  her 
ears  back  and  abruptly  bolted,  and  I,  having  a 
loose  rein,  quickly  shot  over  her  head  like  a  ball  and 
landed  in  the  middle  of  the  road  in  a  mud-puddle. 
The  negro  was  some  distance  ahead,  and  I  hallooed 
like  a  wild  man  before  I  succeeded  in  making  him 
hear.  Finally  he  stopped,  turned  around,  came  back, 
and  helped  me  into  the  saddle  again,  Hannah  stand- 
ing with  her  feet  firmly  planted  like  a  rock.  For  a 
half-hour  we  did  our  best  to  make  her  go  on  down 
the  road,  but  not  one  step  would  she  take,  and,  after 
standing  on  her  hind  feet  and  kicking  with  her  fore, 
and  then,  to  vary  the  monotony,  standing  on  her  fore 
feet  and  kicking  with  her  hind,  as  the  negro  plied  the 
whip  and  swore  and  I  held  on,  she  calmly  lay  down 
in  the  mud,  and  I  managed  to  scramble  out  unhurt 
from  under  her.  After  lots  of  whipping,  coaxing,  and 
much  swearing — on  the  part  of  the  negro — we  finally 
got  her  on  her  feet,  and  headed  her  for  Thomas- 
ville,  and  as  I  would  not  mount  her  again  I  took  the 
negro's  horse  and  he  climbed  upon  old  Hannah  and 
we  started  for  town,  the  mule  going  like  the  wind, 
braying  with  glee  to  find  that  she  was  going  back  to 
the  stable.  The  owner  seemed  much  grieved  and 
quite  crestfallen  over  our  remarks  concerning  his 
pet  Hannah,  and  said:  "  You  did  n't  understand 
her,  Professor ;  if  you  had  just  whispered  '  oats  '  in 
her  ear  she  would  have  carried  you  to  the  end  of 
the  world."  Whereupon  I  ventured  to  remark  that 


138  Reminiscences 

she  had  nearly  carried  me  there  as  it  was — which 
remark  he  did  not  seem  to  understand. 

As  we  had  lost  over  an  hour,  I  cheerfully  mounted 
the  mild -eyed,  stiff -legged  animal  which  he  now 
brought  out,  assuring  me  that  he  was  the  safest  and 
best  saddle-horse  in  the  barn  and  had  once  been  a 
race-horse.  "  He  will  give  you  no  trouble,"  said 
he,  "  and,  what  's  better,  will  do  the  last  mile 
quicker  than  the  first."  And  I  found  that 'he  was 
right,  for  it  was  with  difficulty  that  I  got  "  Ram- 
rod "  started,  for  the  venerable  animal  had  a  spavin 
on  his  right  hind  foot  which  had  just  been  blistered, 
and  was  blind  in  one  eye  and  nearly  so  in  the  other, 
and  as  I  crept  along  after  my  negro  guide,  I  felt  that 
I  might  better  have  taken  my  chances  on  Hannah. 
After  a  few  mfles,  "  Ramrod's  "  stiffness  seemed  to 
disappear,  and  I  was  just  congratulating  myself  on 
my  mount  when  we  entered  Monticello,  where  we 
were  to  have  dinner  and  rest,  and  where  I  had  de- 
cided to  try  to  get  a  few  pianos  to  tune.  As  we 
passed  a  church  the  bell  began  to  ring,  and  its 
clanging  evidently  awoke  in  "Ramrod's"  mind 
memories  of  the  race-track,  for  he  pricked  up  his 
ears,  and  with  a  snort  took  the  bit  and  dashed  down 
the  street.  I  quite  forgot  the  owner's  caution  "  not 
to  pull  on  the  reins  if  he  started,"  for  I  had  landed 
on  his  neck  when  he  plunged  off  and  was  holding 
on  to  the  reins  for  dear  life  when  we  dashed  past  the 
hotel,  and  my  hat  flew  off  as  I  tore  along  down 
the  principal  street  like  John  Gilpin.  After  a  mile 
I  saw  that  the  street  ended  in  a  large  establishment 
of  some  kind,  and  as  I  ceased  to^pull  on  the  reins, 
"  Ramrod  "  slackened  his  pace,  and  seeing  no 


Southern  Life  139 

further  course  ahead,  he  abruptly  wheeled  around 
and  started  up  the  street  as  docile  and  meek  as  a 
cow.  I  rode  up  to  the  hotel,  where  I  dismounted 
before  the  laughing  crowd,  covered  with  mud,  and 
disgusted  with  the  four-footed  beasts  of  Thomasville. 

After  dinner  I  went  out  in  search  of  business,  and 
as  there  was  a  young  ladies'  school  in  the  village  I 
called  there  and  found  several  pianos  that  needed 
my  attention,  and  when  I  returned  to  the  hotel  I 
had  quite  a  snug  little  sum  for  my  afternoon's  work. 

We  had  about  ten  miles  more  to  ride  before  we 
would  reach  the  plantation,  and  with  much  trepida- 
tion I  again  mounted  old  "Ramrod,"  and  we  set  off, 
— and  happy  am  I  to  state  that  we  entered  the  plan- 
tation gates  without  more  adventure.  The  estate 
was  a  magnificent  one,  consisting  of  thousands  of 
acres  of  land  and  great  numbers  of  slaves,  and  we 
were  fully  an  hour  riding  up  the  beautiful  avenue 
of  live-oaks  through  the  vast  possessions.  The 
mansion  was  a  large  colonial  one,  and  I  found  the 
Colonel  and  his  wife  upon  the  steps  to  welcome 
me.  On  entering  I  was  presented  to  the  lovely 
Misses  Bellamy,  who  had  just  returned  from  New 
York  City  where  they  had  been  attending  school, 
and  who  were  at  the  very  moment  overseeing  the 
unpacking  of  a  magnificent  Steinway  "  Grand." 
'  You  are  just  in  time,"  said  Colonel  Bailey,  "  to 
superintend  the  setting  up  of  our  new  piano,"  and 
feeling  that  I  had  reached  a  congenial  place  I  went 
to  work  with  a  will,  and  soon  the  beautiful  instru- 
ment was  in  position  in  the  drawing-room,  and 
before  I  knew  it  I  was  improvising,  the  family 
gathered  around  me,  and  the  pleasant  reception  I 


Reminiscences 


had  received  was  enhanced.  My  work  at  the  plan- 
tation consisted  in  tuning  the  new  piano  and  also 
putting  into  shape  an  old  "  Chickering."  After 
spending  three  or  four  delightful  days,  playing  and 
enjoying  the  hospitality  of  this  cultured  Southern 
family,  I  again  mounted  "  Ramrod,"  who  was 
quite  sleek  and  active  from  his  liberal  supply  of 
oats,  and  rode  down  the  avenue  with  a  generous 
remuneration  in  my  pocket,  and  a  cordial  invitation 
to  bring  my  wife  and  son  and  my  beloved  violon- 
cello, and  spend  the  Christmas  holidays  on  the 
plantation,  which  invitation  I  gladly  accepted,  the 
noble  Colonel  sending  his  family  carriage  to  Thomas- 
ville  for  us.  We  had  an  ideal  visit,  and  I  shall 
always  remember  these  charming  people,  their  beau- 
tiful home,  and,  above  all,  the  kindness  they  showed 
us  during  our  stay  with  them. 

Encouraged  by  my  financial  success,  and  by  a 
number  of  letters  to  several  wealthy  planters  given 
me  by  Colonel  Bailey,  I  concluded  to  call  upon 
these  people  at  their  plantations,  and  my  next 
visit  was  to  an  immense  estate  owned  by  General 
Wingfield,  where,  upon  the  strength  of  my  letter 
from  Colonel  Bailey,  I  tuned  a  piano  and  repaired  a 
melodeon,  for  which  I  received  a  liberal  fee.  The 
General  sent  me  to  the  plantation  of  a  friend  living 
some  distance  from  his  estate  and  offered  me  his 
horse  for  the  trip,  which  offer  I  accepted.  I  found 
it  a  long,  hard  ride  through  the  woods,  and  I  was  in 
the  saddle  from  early  morning  until  late  at  night  ; 
but  I  found  plenty  of  work  and  was  consequently 
happy.  Returning  to  General  Wingfield's,  and  fi- 
nally to  Thomasville,  encouraged  by  the  money  I  had 


Southern  Life  141 

earned,  I  looked  towards  Tallahassee,  Florida,  as  a 
Mecca  for  a  piano-tuner,  and  one  day  we  packed  up 
our  worldly  possessions  and  left  for  that  city  for  an 
indefinite  stay.  The  place  was  a  good  field,  and 
I  was  successful  beyond  anything  I  had  dreamed 
of,  tuning,  repairing,  and  buying  old  pianos,  which 
latter  I  fixed  up,  revarnished,  and  sold  again  at  an 
excellent  profit.  In  Tallahassee  I  had  the  pleasure 
of  meeting  the  family  of  Mr.  Ames,  who  held  a  high 
social  position  and  was  prominently  identified  with 
the  Episcopal  Church.  He  was  devoted  to  music, 
and  at  his  house  I  met  many  delightful  people, 
and  gave  several  musicals,  which  were  attended  by 
the  elite  of  the  city.  I  was  no  longer  looked  upon 
as  a  poor  piano-tuner,  and  my  star  was  in  the  as- 
cendant when  Mr.  Ames  invited  me  to  give  an 
organ  concert  in  the  church,  at  which  the  Bishop  of 
Florida  was  an  honored  guest.  After  the  concert  I 
was  presented  to  Mrs.  Vietch,  a  widow  from  Athens, 
Georgia,  a  fine  singer,  and  on  several  occasions  I 
played  the  'cello  obligate  for  her  songs.  Mrs. 
Vietch  urged  me  to  settle  in  Athens,  where  she 
promised  me  not  only  the  position  of  organist  in 
the  Episcopal  church  but  a  large  class  of  pupils, 
assuring  me  that  as  there  was  no  music-teacher 
there  of  note,  I  could  not  fail  of  being  successful. 

After  talking  the  matter  over  with  my  wife  we 
decided  to  go  to  Athens,  and  left  at  once  for  our 
new  home.  Reaching  Union  Station  we  changed 
cars,  having  a  short  wait  there  before  proceeding  on 
our  journey.  In  the  waiting-room  of  the  station  I 
overheard  two  men  conversing,  and  as  they  spoke 
German  I  made  bold  enough  to  introduce  myself, 


Reminiscences 


excusing  my  presumption  on  the  plea  that  I  could 
not  resist  the  temptation  to  speak  my  native  tongue. 
During  our  conversation  I  was  told  that  they  were 
bound  for  Athens,  for  the  purpose  of  establishing 
Mr.  Hintz  as  a  piano  and  singing  teacher  there,  — 
Mr.  Hintz's  companion  being  a  Mr.  Barth  of  At- 
lanta, who  was  a  piano  dealer  and  tuner  in  that  city. 
Here  was  a  pretty  kettle  of  fish  !  Two  teachers  for 
Athens,  Georgia,  where  I  had  been  assured  I  would 
be  quite  alone  in  the  race.  After  telling  me  of  their 
plans  they,  quite  naturally,  inquired  where  I  was 
going,  and  when  I  told  them  that  I,  too,  was  bound 
for  Athens,  where  I  was  under  contract  to  play  the 
organ  in  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  that  I  expected 
to  have  a  class  in  piano  and  'cello  playing,  our  new- 
formed  friendship  changed  to  a  feeling  of  rivalry, 
and  I  believe  that  we  were  both  possessed  of  the 
same  spirit  as  we  jolted  along  towards  classic 
Athens.  Reaching  the  city  I  immediately  called 
on  my  patroness,  Mrs.  Vietch,  and  she  appeared 
somewhat  dejected  when  I  explained  the  situation 
to  her,  but  she  received  me  in  a  most  affable  man- 
ner and  tried  to  console  me,  promising  me  a  good 
class  and  success. 

To  my  sorrow  I  found  that  there  was  still  another 
music-teacher  in  Athens,  a  Mr.  Lennert,  who  had 
resided  there  for  many  years.  He  was  a  queer 
genius,  and  lived  in  a  very  small  cottage  in  a 
grove  a  little  distance  from  the  city,.  Mr.  Len- 
nert also  came  from  Germany,  and  was  a  man  about 
fifty-four  years  of  age,  of  unprepossessing  appear- 
ance and  quite  devoid  of  the  qualities  which  go  to 
make  up  a  successful  pianoforte  teacher,  being  of  an 


Southern  Life  143 

extremely  modest  and  quiet  disposition.  Mr.  Len- 
nert  was  not  accustomed  to  mingle  much  in  society, 
neither  did  he  court  the  good-will  of  a  capricious 
public ;  and  I  have  since  thought  that  he  was  quite 
sensible  in  living  the  life  of  a  recluse.  He  was  a 
bachelor,  and  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  he  did  not 
belong  to  the  army  of  adventurers  sometimes  re- 
cruited from  the  ranks  of  musicians;  in  fact,  he  did 
not  at  all  resemble  a  musician,  but  he  might  have 
been  taken  for  a  schoolmaster  in  the  old  country, 
who,  without  any  aim,  had  drifted  to  the  little 
grove  in  Athens,  Georgia. 

Quite  naturally,  a  man  of  such  absolute  independ- 
ence did  not  court  the  sympathy  of  the  community, 
neither  did  he  attempt  to  gain  their  good-will,  and 
yet  he  was  a  person  of  some  influence,  and  he  had 
many  friends  who  admired  him,  and  who  were  always 
willing  to  champion  him.  What  I  knew  of  him 
made  me  judge  him  as  a  man  of  modest  bearing, 
utterly  without  conceit,  and  these  noble  qualities 
which  were  so  much  a  part  of  this  simple  man 
had  sufficient  force  to  make  him  well  liked  among 
those  who  knew  him  intimately.  Having  dwelt 
upon  his  qualities  as  a  man,  the  question  arises, 
What  of  his  qualities  as  a  musician  ?  These  I  could 
never  discover,  as  he  certainly  was  not  a  player,  and 
to  judge  him  by  his  pupils  he  could  not  have  pos- 
sessed much  musical  taste,  but  he  must  have  imbibed 
and  drunk  deep  draughts  from  the  fountain  of  a 
good  musician,  as  he  taught  Clementi  and  Hummel 
principally,  and  indulged  occasionally  in  a  few  of 
the  early  sonatas  of  Mozart.  When  I  heard  some 
of  his  pupils  play  a  Clementi  sonatina,  it  did  my 


1 44  Reminiscences 

heart  good  to  discover  in  their  rendering  of  it  cer- 
tain evidences  of  a  lost  school  of  teaching,  which  ap- 
peared rejuvenated  in  the  quaint  little  house  in  the 
grove,  so  that  in  justice  to  music,  I  must  say  that  I 
was  a  silent  admirer  of  Herr  Lennert  and  his  art. 

As  for  Mr.  Hintz,  my  other  competitor,  he  was 
diametrically  opposed  to  Mr.  Lennert.  He  was  a 
tall,  handsome  blond,  with  heavy,  carefully  dressed 
mustache,  long  wavy  hair,  a  fine  complexion,  and 
he  wore  gold-mounted  eye-glasses,  which  gave  him 
a  scholarly  air.  He  walked  with  a  slight  limp,  was 
very  dignified  in  his  bearing,  having,  if  I  remember 
rightly,  served  as  an  officer  in  the  German  army.  He 
was  not  a  good  pianist,  but  he  possessed  an  exceed- 
ingly fine  tenor  voice,  and  he  rendered  his  German 
songs  with  much  warmth  and  expression;  in  fact, 
he  sang  as  he  looked.  He  was  not  possessed  of  the 
lamblike  nature  of  old  Lennert,  neither  did  he  need 
the  assistance  of  his  friends  to  fight  his  battles ;  in 
fact,  he  was  very  aggressive,  and  became  one  of  my 
bitterest  enemies.  While  I  was  the  prottgt  of  Mrs. 
Vietch,  who  represented  the  leading  lights  of  the 
Episcopal  Church,  Mr.  Hintz's  patroness  was  a  lady 
of  higher  standing  socially,  and  of  greater  influence^ 
as  she  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  which  was  considered  the  ultra-fashionable 
church  of  Athens, — the  Episcopal  denomination 
being  comparatively  new  and  having  only  one  or 
two  wealthy  members.  In  view  of  the  influence 
of  the  Church  upon  social  conditions,  I  soon  dis- 
covered that  I  had  the  worst  part  of  the  bargain. 
The  quarrels  between  the  friends  of  my  champion, 
Mrs.  Vietch,  and  Mr.  Hintz's  champion,  Mrs. 


Southern  Life  145 

Stevens,  and,  above  all,  the  loyalty  of  the  adherents 
of  the  Lennert  faction,  became  a  subject  of  much  im- 
portance among  the  good  people  of  Athens,  and  the 
climax  was  reached  when  Mr.  Thomas  Cobb  estab- 
lished a  large  seminary  for  young  women,  liberally 
endowing  it  in  memory  of  his  only  daughter,  Lucy, 
who  had  died  when  a  young  girl. 

Mr.  Cobb  was  the  most  prominent  lawyer  in 
Georgia,  a  brother  of  Howell  Cobb,  who  was  Secre- 
tary of  the  Treasury  under  President  Buchanan. 
The  establishment  of  this  institution  required  the 
appointment  of  a  director  for  the  music  department, 
and,  as  it  may  be  presumed,  the  three  music-teach- 
ers became  very  apprehensive,  fearing  that  all  of  the 
pupils  would  seek  instruction  at  the  Cobb  Institute, 
so  Hintz  and  I  immediately  applied  for  the  position. 
Mr.  Cobb,  influenced  by  the  musical  war,  told  us 
that  he  would  not  take  any  of  the  local  teachers,  and 
that  he  had  already  engaged  a  man  for  the  position 
by  the  name  of  Dr.  Wurm,  who  at  that  time  was 
musical  director  in  a  school  at  La  Grange,  Georgia. 
Dr.  Wurm  assumed  his  duties  immediately,  and 
I  asked  him  to  give  me  the  position  of  assistant ; 
this  he  declined  to  do,  and  appointed  a  gentleman 
by  the  name  of  Kalliwoda,  a  nephew  of  the  great 
composer  Kalliwoda,  Kapellmeister  of  the  Prince  of 
Fiirstenberg  of  Donaueschingen. 

Dr.  Wurm  was  credited  with  being  a  master  of  all 
instruments,  and  if  the  reports  I  heard  of  him  were 
true,  I  think  that  he  would  have  surpassed  my  be- 
loved old  Stadt  Musikus,  Dazian,  in  his  musical 
knowledge.  I  was  not  privileged  to  make  a  com- 
parison, as  the  good  Doctor  displayed  as  much 


Reminiscences 


modesty  in  showing  what  he  could  do  as  did  Len- 
nert  in  his  little  home  in  the  grove.  I  must,  how- 
ever, add  the  very  interesting  fact  that  Hintz, 
Dr.  Wurm,  and  myself  claimed  to  be  great  violon- 
cello players,  and  I  very  much  regret  that  a  careful 
examination  of  our  claims  was  never  made.  Dr. 
Wurm  played  the  organ  in  the  Presbyterian  Church, 
and  while  he  received  the  full  patronage  and  in- 
dorsement of  his  manifold  talents,  it  leaked  out  that 
he  was  not  a  very  good  organist,  and  it  was  even 
said  that  the  organist  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
played  better,  and  with  more  taste  and  judgment. 
These  remarks  soon  resulted  in  two  musical  factions 
being  formed,  the  Wurm  and  the  Steinert,  and  it 
was  n't  a  passing  event,  and  became  quite  turbu- 
lent when  I  was  offered  the  position  of  organist  by 
the  most  prominent  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  led  by  Mrs.  Robb,  a  daughter  of  the  Presi- 
dent of  Franklin  College,  —  a  lady  of  great  beauty, 
refinement,  and  undisputed  influence  in  every  city 
where  she  resided,  for  she  spent  part  of  the  year  in 
New  Orleans  and  Washington  and  New  York.  Mrs. 
Robb  was  a  pupil  of  mine  and  a  strong  admirer  of 
my  musical  abilities.  The  position  being  formally 
offered  me,  with  an  increase  of  salary,  and  over  the 
head  of  the  Principal  of  the  Lucy  Cobb  Seminary, 
was  a  flattering  one,  and  I  naturally  felt  inclined  to 
accept  it  in  view  of  the  conditions  under  which  I 
lived,  and  I  did  so.  It  turned  out  that  this  offer 
was  made  during  the  absence  of  Mr.  Cobb  and  with- 
out his  consent,  and  when  he  returned  to  the  city 
and  was  told  of  the  change  of  organist  in  the  church 
he  was  very  indignant,  and  said  that  he  would  never 


Southern  Life  H7 

give  his  consent  to  my  playing  in  the  church,  and 
that  he  would  withdraw  his  support  if  I  persisted  in 
accepting  the  position.  My  friends  were  equally 
stubborn,  saying  that  they  would  leave  if  Dr.  Wurm 
remained  at  the  organ;  so  it  was  decided  that 
neither  of  us  should  play,  and  for  many  months 
there  was  no  organist  in  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

Having  resigned  my  position  in  the  Episcopal 
Church, — for  which  I  brought  upon  myself  the 
animosity  of  some  of  its  members,  which  I  have 
always  regretted, — I  must  confess  that  it  was  a  good 
thing,  for  a  prestige  was  created  in  my  favor  as  a 
musician,  and  as  Mr.  Hintz  was  not  sufficiently 
fortified  to  enter  the  arena  in  the  great  musical  con- 
test between  Dr.  Wurm  and  myself,  he  gathefed 
together  his  traps,  folded  his  tent,  and  one  day,  like 
the  Arab,  silently  stole  away;  while  poor  honest 
Lennert  must  have  been  lost  to  the  world,  for  I  can- 
not now  remember  what  became  of  him.  From  that 
day  my  reputation  as  a  teacher  of  music  was  well 
established,  and  I  had  a  large  number  of  pupils, 
made  up  of  the  most  prominent  young  ladies  of 
Athens  and  the  neighboring  towns,  and  I  became 
prosperous. 

During  this  period  a  little  daughter  had  been  born 
to  me,  Heloise,  and  I  felt  blissfully  happy  and  con- 
tent. I  rented  a  large  house  and  furnished  it  attrac- 
tively, bought  six  acres  of  land  adjoining  the  Lucy 
Cobb  Institute,  a  horse  and  carriage,  and  invested 
quite  a  sum  in  the  pianoforte  business,  having  for 
my  partner  Mr.  William  Talmedge,  a  local  jeweller. 
For  the  first  time  since  my  arrival  in  America  my 
musical  success  was  in  the  ascendant,  and  I  felt 


148  Reminiscences 

that  it  was  time  to  demonstrate  to  the  parents  of 
my  pupils  and  their  friends  to  what  state  of  musical 
culture  they  had  advanced  under  my  guidance.  I 
therefore  arranged  for  a  complimentary  recital  where 
they  could  all  play  or  sing,  and  as  this  was  quite  an 
event  in  the  city,  and  created  much  interest  among 
the  aristocracy,  an  invitation  was  sent  to  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Hamilton  Stephens,  later  on  Vice-President  of 
the  Confederacy,  to  attend  the  concert,  which  invita- 
tion he  accepted.  The  hall  was  filled,  and  the  affair 
was  not  only  a  social  but  an  artistic  success,  and  at 
the  close  Mr.  Stephens,  in  a  happy  speech,  presented 
me  with  a  handsome  silver  service,  the  gift  of  my 
pupils,  and  I  felt  that,  even  though  I  had  not  been 
allowed  to  play  the  organ  in  the  Presbyterian 
Church,  I  was  held  in  some  importance  by  the 
people  of  Athens. 

I  must  in  some  way  have  received  some  creditable 
mention  among  the  colored  race,  for  one  day  a 
handsome  young  mulatto,  the  body-servant  of  Mr. 
Hull,  came  to  me  and  begged  me  to  give  him  les- 
sons upon  the  violoncello, — "  violinsolo  "  he  called 
it, — saying  that  his  master  had  given  him  permission 
to  secure  such  instruction.  While  I  did  not  look 
upon  him  as  a  pupil,  I  felt  inclined  to  help  the  poor 
fellow,  who  was  considered  a  musical  genius,  and 
who  led  a  brass  band  of  colored  men  and  wanted  to 
form  a  string  band  from  among  the  musicians.  I 
therefore  brought  out  my  violoncello  and  tried  to 
teach  him  the  names  of  the  four  strings,  A,  D,  G, 
C,  but  found  that  he  could  not  possibly  comprehend 
what  I  was  talking  about,  and  after  several  attempts 
I  was  just  about  to  give  up  in  despair  when  it 


Southern  Life  149 

occurred  to  me  that  his  master  had  four  horses  of 
different  colors,  and  that  I  might  possibly  use  them 
to  advantage  in  illustrating  my  meaning.  So  I  said, 
'  Wilson,  your  master  has  a  chestnut  horse  which 
we  shall  call  the  first  string,  A ;  his  roan  saddle-horse 
shall  be  the  second  string,  D ;  the  gray  pony  the  third 
string,  G ;  while  the  white  carriage  horse  shall  be  the 
fourth  string,  C. "  As  he  knew  the  color  of  the  horses 
he  soon  learned  the  strings,  and  while  I  regret  to  say 
that  Wilson  did  not  become  a  great  artist  upon  the 
violoncello,  and  was  often  "  off  his  base,"  he  learned 
to  play  very  well,  and  was  soon  quite  prominent 
among  his  color  as  a  virtuoso  of  ability. 

On  March  14,  1861,  my  wife  gave  birth  to  another 
son,  Alexander,  and  on  April  12,  1861,  the  first  gun 
of  the  Civil  War  was  fired  upon  Fort  Sumter,  thus 
beginning  the  war  between  the  North  and  the  South. 
For  some  months  previous,  ever  since  the  secession 
of  South  Carolina  in  December,  my  business  had 
begun  to  fall  off,  but  it  had  been  impossible  for  me 
to  leave,  owing  to  the  condition  of  my  wife.  Now 
everything  was  excitement,  and  I  was  daily  asked 
by  my  pupils  if  I  was  ready  to  go  to  war  and  help 
them  fight  the  Yankees.  I  did  not  dare  to  answer 
negatively,  as  any  one  at  that  time  who  declined  to 
fight  the  Yankees  was  looked  upon  as  a  traitor  and 
was  in  danger  of  lynching.  As  I  had  very  little 
sympathy  for  the  Southern  people  when  they  wanted 
to  fight  the  great  and  glorious  flag  which  I  love  so 
much,  I  had  sufficient  cause  to  feel  uneasy,  and 
finally  decided  to  leave  the  South,  which  was  in  a 
state  of  rebellion  and  with  scarcely  any  government. 
I  told  my  good  wife  to  hurry  up  and  get  well,  which 


150  Reminiscences 

she  did,  and  we  quietly  prepared  to  leave  Athens. 
I  found  that  it  was  not  an  easy  task  on  our  part,  be- 
cause, with  our  three  children,  we  were  comfortably 
housed,  had  a  nice  horse  and  carriage,  a  number  of 
pianos  and  other  instruments,  besides  an  interest  in 
the  piano  business  with  Mr.  Talmedge. 

The  hateful  spirit  of  the  Southern  people  towards 
the  Northerners  had  reached  a  very  high  state,  and 
the  Northerners  and  foreigners  who  were  at  that 
time  living  in  the  South  were  either  looked  upon  as 
friends  if  they  stayed,  or  enemies  if  they  left. 
These  were  the  reasons  which  prevented  me  from 
disposing  of  my  property,  or  even  attempting  to 
collect  the  money  due  me,  as  it  would  have  appeared 
to  the  hot-headed  Southerners  that  I  intended  to 
leave  for  good,  and  I  would  have  had  to  suffer,  many 
indignities  at  their  hands.  Although  I  had  worked 
very  hard  all  my  life  to  accumulate  a  little  some- 
thing, I  could  not  see  the  advantage  to  be  gained 
by  staying  in  the  South  and  saving  my  property  at 
the  cost  of  surrendering  myself  to  fight  for  a  cause 
which  I  could  not  believe  in.  I  managed  to  collect 
about  three  hundred  dollars,  and  by  telling  the 
people  that  after  taking  my  family  North  I  should 
return  and  look  after  my  property,  and  as  I  did  not 
dispose  of  anything,  and  my  dealings  while  there  had 
established  a  feeling  of  confidence  in  me,  we  were 
permitted  to  leave  Athens  unmolested. 

We  had  scarcely  crossed  into  North  Carolina 
when  the  terrors  of  war  began  to  manifest  them- 
selves, and  when  we  entered  Richmond,  Virginia, 
the  excitement  of  the  Southern  people  knew  no 
bounds,  and  we  were  in  the  most  trying  and 


Southern  Life  151 

dangerous  position.  Soldiers  were  everywhere,  and 
they  would  rush  into  the  cars  with  drawn  bayonets 
looking  for  deserters,  so  that  my  wife  and  children 
were  in  a  constant  state  of  nervous  excitement 
bordering  on  terror.  We  found  all  communication 
cut  off  when  we  reached  Delaware,  and  travelled  to 
Washington,  D.  C.,  by  stage  and  wagon.  I  shall 
never  forget  the  hardships  we  passed  through  in 
trying  to  reach  New  York  City,  and  I  was  in  the 
most  dejected  and  disturbed  state  of  mind  when  we 
finally  landed  in  the  metropolis,  having  but  little 
money  left,  for  our  journey  had  taken  nearly  all  I 
had  collected  in  Athens. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Wretched  Days  in  New  York  City — New   Haven — Formation  of 
Steinert's  Orchestra 

I  WAS  forced  to  look  to  my  wife's  relatives  for 
help,  and  for  this  reason  we  went  to  the  house 
of  her  father,  who  was  very  poor  and  who  lived  in 
a  few  rooms  in  a  tenement-house  on  Sixth  Street. 
He  received  us  kindly  and  offered  to  share  with  us 
his  rooms  and  humble  fare,  but  I  felt  my  position 
keenly;  and  our  sufferings  in  the  hot,  stuffy  New 
York  tenement-house,  after  our  attractive  Southern 
home,  were  frightful.  We  tried  to  make  the  best 
of  it,  and  every  day  I  hoped  that  I  might  find  some- 
thing in  the  way  of  work  to  keep  the  wolf  from  the 
door,  but  it  was  impossible,  because  the  city  was  in 
a  state  of  great  excitement,  and  general  business 
was  upset,  the  theatres  nightly  playing  to  empty 
benches.  There  was  absolutely  no  chance  for  me, 
and  when  the  cry  of  war  extended  all  over  the  coun- 
try, in  obedience  to  that  memorable  and  grand  proc- 
lamation of  the  noble  Lincoln,  calling  for  seventy-five 
thousand  men,  New  York  became  a  big  camp  where 
people  of  all  classes  rushed  to  the  recruiting  office 
to  be  enrolled  in  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Union. 

152 


Steinert's  Orchestra  153 

Looking  over  the  situation  and  the  misery  I  was 
forced  to  endure,  I  visited  the  playhouses  over 
and  over  again,  trying  to  get  some  position  in  the 
orchestra.  I  also  called  upon  orchestral  leaders  and 
conductors  for  some  employment,  but  there  was 
no  opening  for  me  in  New  York;  and  my  hopes 
perished  when  I  saw  a  notice  in  a  German  paper 
stating  that  five  of  the  greatest  musicians  of  Amer- 
ica were  playing  in  a  beer  saloon  as  a  means  of  sub- 
sistence, among  them  Carl  Anchiitz  as  pianist, 
Carl  Bergmann  as  'cellist,  and  three  others  equally 
prominent  in  the  musical  world,  whose  names  I  do 
not  now  recall.  I  could  not  believe  my  eyes,  and  I 
immediately  walked  over  to  Steuben  Hall,  a  beer 
saloon  on  the  Bowery,  and  there  I  found  these  men, 
and  heard  them  play  for  a  lot  of  Germans  drinking 
beer  and  smoking  their  long  pipes.  From  that  day 
I  did  not  look  for  an  engagement  in  New  York, 
knowing  how  fruitless  it  was. 

My  children,  on  account  of  the  intense  heat,  be- 
came ill  with  cholera  infantum,  and  as  I  was  in  a 
desperate  state  of  mind  I  resolved  to  leave  the  city 
even  at  the  risk  of  my  life.  Mrs.  Steinert  had  a  sis- 
ter residing  in  New  Haven,  and  in  our  distress  my 
wife  wrote  to  her,  telling  her  of  our  troubles.  Mrs. 
Bretzfelder  was  a  woman  of  refinement  and  good- 
ness of  heart,  and,  influenced  by  her  sympathy  for 
us  in  our  great  need,  she  wrote  my  wife  at  once, 
inviting  us  to  come  to  her  in  New  Haven  and  to 
stay  with  her  during  the  summer,  or  until  I  could 
find  something  to  do.  Under  ordinary  circumstances 
I  might  have  hesitated  to  accept  an  invitation  for 
a  family  of  five  and  for  an  indefinite  time,  but  the 


154  Reminiscences 

dire  need  of  a  temporary  home  for  my  wife  and  sick 
babies  was  uppermost  in  my  mind,  and  with  feelings 
of  deep  gratitude  I  wrote  her  that  we  would  come, 
and  we  left  for  New  Haven  at  once.  The  change  of 
air  was  indeed  a  godsend  to  my  little  ones,  and  they 
picked  up  immediately,  as  did  my  good  wife,  who 
had  been  far  from  well  since  the  birth  of  Alexander. 

Comfortably  housed  on  Congress  Avenue,  it  was 
my  first  duty  to  earn  a  little  money,  as  I  had  nothing 
left,  so  I  tried  to  obtain  a  few  pupils  in  the  city,  but 
was  unsuccessful.  Then,  acting  upon  the  advice  of  a 
friend,  I  went  out  to  Centreville,  a  village  close  by, 
hoping  to  find  something  in  the  boys'  school  there, 
but  I  was  told  that  on  account  of  the  advanced  sea- 
son there  was  nothing  for  me.  I  went  to  Naugatuck, 
Bethany,  and  all  the  near-by  towns,  but  with  like 
result,  and  for  a  time  I  was  absolutely  unable  to  find 
anything  to  do.  Finally  I  was  given  the  position  of 
substitute  organist  in  Dr.  Cleveland's  church  on 
Church  Street — now  the  Public  Library — for  which 
I  received  one  hundred  dollars  a  year.  I  also  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  some  German  workmen  in  Mr. 
Treat's  melodeon  factory  as  pupils  on  the  melodeon, 
violin,  and  flute,  thus  having  an  assured  income  of 
about  six  dollars  a  week,  which  was  a  great  boon 
to  me. 

Feeling  that  we  were  an  incumbrance  upon  Mrs. 
Bretzfelder,  and  having  a  fair  chance  to  work,  I 
rented  a  few  rooms  in  York  Square  and  began  house- 
keeping; and  after  paying  my  rent  I  had  about 
three  dollars  left  for  provisions.  The  precarious 
condition  of  my  pocketbook  must  have  been 
noticed  by  the  proprietor  of  a  grocery  and  meat 


Steinert's  Orchestra  155 

store  on  the  corner  of  York  Square  and  Broad- 
way, Mr.  Cornelius  Pierpont,  with  whom  I  daily 
traded,  paying  cash  for  the  few  things  I  was  able  to 
buy,  for  one  day  he  presented  me  with  a  large,  juicy 
beefsteak,  prefacing  the  gift  with  a  little  speech 
which  expressed  to  me  a  nature  full  of  noble  gen- 
erosity and  kindly  impulses,  and  which  appeared 
to  me  an  act  never  to  be  forgotten.  I  thankfully 
accepted  the  gift,  and  I  have  never  regretted  it — 
the  only  like  gift  I  have  ever  received.  Mr.  Pierpont 
little  knew  how  much  that  delicious  bit  of  meat 
meant  to  my  family,  and  I  have  never  eaten  a  steak 
that  tasted  so  good  in  all  my  life. 

One  day,  which  I  shall  always  look  upon  as  a  red- 
letter  day,  the  position  as  organist  at  St.  Thomas's 
Episcopal  Church  was  offered  to  me,  and  with  it  the 
munificent  salary  of  $i  50  a  year.  Having  now  quite 
a  number  of  pupils  I  looked  for  a  larger  and  more 
commodious  rent,  and  finding  a  double  brick  house 
on  Crown  Street,  near  Church,  I  took  half  of  it  and 
moved  in.  Through  the  influence  of  Dr.  Beardsley, 
the  rector  of  St.  Thomas's,  I  was  appointed  music- 
teacher  in  the  Episcopal  Academy  at  Cheshire, 
under  the  Reverend  Dr.  Horton,  while  Mrs.  Steinert 
secured  the  position  of  French  instructor  in  the 
same  institution.  We  went  to  Cheshire  twice 
weekly :  on  the  days  that  Mrs.  Steinert  taught,  I 
kept  house  and  looked  after  the  children,  while  she 
resumed  management  of  the  household  on  the  days 
set  apart  for  my  work.  In  addition  to  this,  I  had 
a  class  at  the  Russell  Military  School  on  Woos- 
ter  Place,  and  was  therefore  in  prosperous  circum- 
stances, and  felt  correspondingly  happy. 


156  Reminiscences 

Feeling  a  longing  to  take  up  my  musical  work 
again,  I  looked  about  and  finally  suceeded  in  form- 
ing a  quartet,  which  was  made  up  of  the  following 
named  gentlemen :  Mr.  W.  Dexter  Anderson,  now 
a  prominent  physician  residing  on  Temple  Street, 
but  who  was  then  a  student  at  Yale,  as  pianist  ; 
Mr.  Carl  Wehner,  violin;  Charles  Chapman,  viola; 
and  myself,  violoncello.  We  met  several  times  each 
week  and  played  quartets  and  trios  from  the  old  mas- 
ters, and  finally  gave  a  public  recital  in  Bull's  piano- 
forte warerooms  in  the  Cutler  Building  on  Chapel 
Street.  We  had  a  good  audience,  and  I  think  that 
they  appreciated  and  enjoyed  our  music.  Mr.  Ander- 
son, our  pianist,  possessed  great  musical  ability  as  to 
technique  and  expression,  and  was  extremely  well 
qualified  for  that  school  of  music  which  requires  not 
only  a  musical  nature  but  a  love  for  the  divine  art ; 
and  in  having  a  pianist  of  such  rare  qualities,  and 
one  who  was  withal  so  modest  in  his  art,  our  quartet 
could  not  help  but  be  successful.  Mr.  Wehner  was 
a  fair  violinist,  and  while  his  limited  technique  and 
control  over  his  instrument  might  have  been  due  to 
his  profession  as  a  piano  teacher,  which  did  not 
permit  of  his  practising  much  upon  the  violin,  he 
was  a  musician  of  refined  taste,  an  excellent  reader, 
and  full  of  devotion  to  the  class  of  music  we  played. 
Mr.  Chapman  was  an  amateur  on  the  viola,  but  a 
good  pianist,  and,  while  he  found  it  rather  diffi- 
cult to  conquer  the  technicalities  of  his  instrument 
he  worked  hard,  and  as  he  was  a  musical  enthu- 
siast, and  actually  lived  for  music,  the  little  he 
could  do  upon  the  viola  carried  with  it  these  noble 
qualities,  and  he  did  as  well  as  he  could.  As  for 


Steinert's  Orchestra  157 

the  violoncello  player,  he  was  in  close  affinity  with 
the  viola. 

My  next  step  in  a  musical  way  was  the  organizing 
of  an  orchestra,  which  was  not  an  easy  task,  as  the 
woods  were  not  then  full  of  musicians  who  could 
play  upon  orchestral  instruments.  I  began  re- 
cruiting, however,  and  found  a  number  of  poor 
violinists,  both  firsts  and  seconds,  with  Chapman  on 
the  viola.  The  rest  of  the  instruments  were  in 
keeping  with  the  fiddlers,  and  such  delicacies  as 
French  horns,  oboes,  and  bassoons  had  to  be  im- 
agined, for  they  did  not  materialize.  I  called  this 
band  together  one  day,  and  while  I  played  the 
violoncello  I  also  conducted,  using  my  bow  as  a 
baton.  Our  rehearsals  were  simply  frightful,  and 
what  we  could  not  attain  in  harmonic  beauty  we 
made  up  for  in  discord  and  such  noises  as  to  frighten 
the  horses  which  were  kept  in  a  livery  stable  next 
door,  and  which  immediately  signified  their  displeas- 
ure by  violently  kicking  against  their  stalls  in  rhythm 
with  the  scrapings  of  the  fiddles,  the  windy  tones  of 
the  flutes,  the  squeaky  harmonies  emitted  from  the 
yellow  clarionets  that  cried  out  in  despair  for  further 
assistance  from  their  brazen  brothers,  the  trumpets 
and  trombones, — giving  to  the  "City  of  Elms  "  and 
the  seat  of  the  great  University  of  Yale  a  pande- 
monium of  tones  that  has  never  been  equalled  in 
any  cultured  city  of  the  globe.  My  band  was  really 
in  earnest  when  in  active  service,  and  the  vol- 
ume of  tone  which  the  men  succeeded  in  bringing 
out  of  their  instruments  reminded  me  of  the  heavy 
artillery  and  lamentations  of  the  wounded  at  that 
time  congregated  upon  the  battlefield  of  Bull  Run, 


158  Reminiscences 

which  was  quite  as  disastrous  to.  our  army  as  my 
little  Yankee  and  Dutch  band  was  to  the  peaceful 
neighborhood  of  Crown  Street. 

But  my  musicians  were  so  devoted  to  the  new 
orchestra  that  they  imagined  that  the  citizens  of 
New  Haven  would  be  anxious  to  exchange  their 
quarters  for  their  tone  production,  and  unanimously 
voted  to  give  a  concert  in  Music  Hall.  I,  as  their 
leader  and  promoter,  and  the  most  intense  sufferer 
at  that  period,  was  in  the  minority  when  I  told  them 
that  while  they  were  a  good  band  of  brothers,  full 
of  friendship  and  love,  they  were  a  d — d  bad  lot  of 
musicians,  and  I  looked  upon  them,  when  profes- 
sionally engaged,  as  children  of  Hades;  and  as  I  had 
always  thought  of  New  Haven  as  a  city  of  brotherly 
love  and  full  of  religious  sentiment,  I  cautioned  them 
not  to  thus  expose  themselves  to  the  ridicule  of  these 
good  people.  If,  however,  they  insisted  upon  inflict- 
ing themselves  upon  an  unsuspecting  public,  to  go  to 
Meriden  and  give  a  concert  there, — which  they  did. 
I  must  confess  that  the  people  of  that  city  and 
myself  differed  greatly  as  to  the  efficiency  of  the  or- 
chestra, because  they  turned  out  en  masse  for  the  con- 
cert, and  after  the  performance  they  expressed  their 
enjoyment  of  the  evening's  program,  giving  such 
encouragement  to  the  band  as  to  cause  them  to  go 
on  with  their  work.  The  financial  success  was  also 
considerable,  because  we  had  three  dollars  apiece 
after  paying  expenses — a  dividend  which  was  in 
keeping  with  the  character  of  our  efforts — and  so 
delighted  were  we  that  we  went  out  serenading  after 
the  concert,  calling  upon  the  notables  of  the  city; 
and  I  am  happy  to  state  that,  although  we  made 


Steinert's  Orchestra  159 

the  night  hideous  with  our  noise,  none  of  us  were 
arrested. 

One  day  while  in  Cheshire  I  was  called  upon  to 
tune  the  piano  of  Deacon  R.  It  was  a  terribly  hot 
day,  and  I  must  say  that  my  temperament  was  in 
keeping  with  the  temperament  of  the  deacon's 
piano,  which  was  frightfully  out  of  tune.  I  almost 
forgot  that  I  was  in  lovely  Cheshire,  felt  transported 
to  Scheinfeld,  and  I  suddenly  remembered  the  seven 
beer-stuben,  and  longed  for  a  glass  of  the  elixir  of 
Gambrinus.  In  my  desire  for  the  beer  I  looked  at 
the  old  Deacon  while  I  made  a  good  stretch  on  the 
treble  string  of  his  piano,  and  my  German  nature 
asserted  itself,  and  I  calmly  asked  him  whether  he 
had  any  beer  in  the  house  or  not ;  whereupon  he 
put  his  hand  behind  his  ear,  as  a  reflecting  resonator 
for  his  musical  tympanum,  and  in  a  high,  squeaky 
voice,  said,  "  Beer!  Beer!  You  mean  root  beer, 
eh  ?  "  "  No,"  I  shouted,  "  I  mean  lager  beer,  plain 
lager  beer,  fresh  and  cool;  have  you  got  any  ?" 
This  expression  was  evidently  a  new  one  to  him, 
for  he  continued,  "  No,  we  have  n't  any  root  beer 
in  the  house,  but  I  can  give  you  a  glass  of  cool 
water  with  ginger  in  it," — which  drink  I  accepted. 

I  mention  this  incident  simply  in  connection  with 
a  business  deal  which  I  had  with  the  good  Deacon 
later  on,  for  it  was  only  a  few  weeks  after  that  he 
offered  to  sell  me  his  piano,  saying  that  his  wife  was 
ill  unto  death,  and  that  as  he  had  no  children  at 
home,  there  would  be  no  one  left  to  play  upon  it. 
As  he  offered  it  to  me  for  $140,  I  decided  to  take  it, 
and  paid  him  the  money,  agreeing  to  leave  the  piano 
there  until  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  when  he  was 


160  Reminiscences 

to  notify  me  and  I  was  to  send  for  it.  The  good 
woman  soon  passed  away,  and  the  Deacon  wrote  me 
of  the  sad  fact,  telling  me  that  I  could  move  the 
piano  any  time,  so  I  sent  a  team  for  it,  and  it  was 
soon  set  up  in  my  Crown  Street  house.  A  week 
later  the  Deacon  drove  up  in  his  antiquated  chaise, 
drawn  by  a  lame,  lanky  mare,  for  the  purpose,  as 
I  supposed,  of  paying  me  a  call.  I  invited  the 
worthy  gentleman  in,  whereupon  he  told  me  in  a 
very  polite  and  dignified  manner  that  he  had 
called  to  collect  a  small  amount  due  him.  I  was 
dumbfounded,  for  I  did  not  know  that  I  owed  him 
anything,  and  horrified  when  he  said  that  he  had 
notified  me  by  letter  of  his  wife's  death,  telling  me 
that  I  could  call  for  the  piano, — that  the  outlay 
amounted  to  three  cents,  and  that  he  would  like  it. 
I  put  my  hand  in  my  pocket,  drew  out  a  handful  of 
pennies,  and  counting  out  three  gave  them  to  him, 
and  he  departed  quite  satisfied.  I  then  appreciated 
his  liberality  in  giving  me  a  glass  of  water  with  half 
a  spoonful  of  ginger  in  it. 

My  experiences  with  my  numerous  landlords 
would  fill  a  book  in  themselves,  for  forty  years  ago 
rents  were  scarce  and  high  in  New  Haven,  and  the 
landlords  that  had  houses  to  rent  lorded  it  over 
their  tenants.  I  was  at  one  time  the  tenant  of  a  man 
who  was  really  accommodating,  for  on  the  first  day 
of  the  month  he  called  on  me  as  early  as  8  A.M.  to 
collect  his  rent,  thus  relieving  my  mind  from  all 
anxiety  for  the  rest  of  the  day.  Occasionally  the 
first  of  the  month  fell  on  Sunday,  and  as  he  was  a 
minister,  and  therefore  could  not  desecrate  the  holy 
Sabbath  by  any  dealing  whatsoever,  he  used  to 


JOSEPH    HAYDN'S   CONCERT  GRAND. 


Steinert's  Orchestra  161 

spend  Saturday  afternoon  walking  up  and  down 
past  my  house  until  I  noticed  him,  and,  if  I  had 
the  money, went  out  and  paid  him.  He  would  never 
accept  anything  but  a  check,  because  it  served  as  a 
receipt,  and  he  thereby  saved  the  two-cent  revenue 
stamp  required  at  that  time  not  only  upon  checks 
but  upon  receipts  as  well.  Another  man,  to  whom 
I  one  day  applied  for  a  house,  told  me  that  he  had 
one  but  that  he  must  have  some  references  as  to  my 
ability  to  pay  my  rent.  I  gave  him  the  names  of 
several  prominent  men  in  the  city  who  knew  me, 
and  after  calling  upon  them  he  sent  for  me  and  told 
me  that  he  had  made  inquiries  concerning  me  and 
found  that  I  was  all  right.  Whereupon  I  said,  "  I, 
too,  have  made  inquiries  about  you."  With  great 
eagerness  and  much  curiosity  he  inquired  what  had 
been  said  of  him,  and  although  I  hesitated,  he  finally 
forced  me  to  tell  him,  that  while  I  had  heard  that  he 
was  all  right  I  had  also  been  told  that  he  was  the 
meanest  landlord  in  the  city.  Without  another 
word  he  said,  "  Mr.  Steinert,  you  may  have  the 
house." 

My  little  Dutch-Yankee  band  were  as  much  in- 
terested as  ever  in  their  playing,  and  I  was  equally 
anxious  to  have  an  orchestra — even  if  a  bad  one — 
in  the  city.  I  worked  hard,  and  finally,  by 
weeding  out  a  lot  of  bad  players  and  substituting 
others,  had  a  good  orchestra,  and  we  decided  to 
appear  before  the  public  under  the  name  of  the 
"  Steinert  Orchestra,"  and  I  felt  very  happy  when 
I  heard  them  play  Haydn's  Symphonies,  several 
overtures,  operatic  selections,  and  Strauss  waltzes. 
As  I  knew  that  the  orchestra  could  not  live  without 


1 62  Reminiscences 

some  financial  basis,  I  made  an  engagement  for  them 
with  the  officers  of  the  "  Young  Men's  Institute," 
who  gave  a  series  of  lectures  each  winter  in  Music 
Hall,  with  such  celebrated  speakers  as  Wendell 
Phillips,  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Anna  Dickinson, 
John  B.  Gough,  and  many  other  well-known  orators. 
Mr.  Edwin  Marble,  the  President  of  the  Association, 
engaged  us  to  play  a  concert  program  of  one  hour 
before  the  lectures,  and  I  must  say  to  the  credit  of 
the  orchestra  that  our  music  gave  general  satisfac- 
tion, and  may  perhaps  be  called  the  corner-stone  of 
the  New  Haven  Symphony  Orchestra,  which  now 
affords  so  much  pleasure  to  our  cultured  citizens  in 
a  series  of  concerts  given  each  winter  in  the  Hype- 
rion Theatre. 

Among  the  musicians  there  was  a  peculiar  charac- 
ter, a  violinist  by  the  name  of  Fischer.  He  was  a 
bachelor,  a  countryman  of  mine,  coming  from  Ba- 
varia, where  he  was  originally  a  blacksmith.  With- 
out going  into  details  concerning  his  peculiar 
characteristics,  I  shall  only  say  that  Peter  Fischer 
celebrated  his  birthday  twice  a  year,  and  had  a  good 
time  semi-annually,  for  he  was  not  a  temperance 
man,  loving  his  beer  as  much  as  his  music,  and  no 
one  can  deny  that  he  loved  the  latter  with  his  whole 
heart  and  soul.  While  Peter  always  enjoyed  his 
beer,  the  banner  days  of  the  year  were  his  birthdays, 
when  he  would  invite  his  friends — and  he  had  a 
great  number  of  them — and  they  would  assemble  in 
a  beer-stube  in  a  basement  on  Church  Street,  kept 
by  Moebus.  Fischer  expected  his  friends  to  come 
early  and  stay  late.  He  would  usually,  gather  his 
forces  together  in  the  morning  and  open  the  banquet 


Steinert's  Orchestra  163 

by  ordering  beer  to  be  served  in  different-sized 
glasses.  With  these  glasses  before  him  on  the 
table  and  his  friends  close  at  hand,  he  would  form  a 
miniature  company  of  soldiers,  the  officers  being 
represented  by  the  larger  glasses,  and  after  giving  a 
few  orders  the  guests  would  each  seize  a  glass,  drink 
the  beer,  put  the  vessel  back  on  the  table  in  its 
original  position,  whereupon  Fischer,  after  several 
more  commands,  would  sweep  the  glasses  to  the 
floor  as  a  finale  of  the  military  manoeuvre.  It  was 
an  unfortunate  day  for  the  conductor  of  the  "  Stein- 
ert  Orchestra  "  when  one  of  Fischer's  birthdays  oc- 
curred on  the  day  when  the  orchestra  was  engaged 
to  play  a  concert  program  before  Cough's  lecture, 
and  it  was  still  worse  for  the  great  conductor  that 
he  did  n't  know  of  it. 

A  little  before  seven  I  entered  Music  Hall  loaded 
with  music  and  my  violoncello,  and,  as  it  was  about 
time  for  the  men  to  make  their  appearance  and  not 
one  of  the  band  came  in,  I  grew  cold  with  anxiety, 
and  almost  embraced  Mr.  Briggs,  the  second-horn 
player,  when  he  entered.  "  Where  are  the  others  ?  " 
I  questioned,  whereupon  he  burst  out  laughing  and 
said,  "  Why,  don't  you  know  that  to-day  is  Fischer's 
Geburtstag,  and  that  the  orchestra  is  down  in  Moe- 
bus's  cellar  celebrating  ?  "  It  did  n't  take  me  long 
to  run  over  to  Moebus's,  where  I  found  my  orchestra 
in  a  state  of  great  hilarity  and  mirth,  for  Fischer 
had  been  drilling  his  soldiers  all  day.  Immediately 
I  put  my  head  in  the  door  Fischer  rushed  at  me  and 
in  a  maudlin  way  embraced  me,  expressing  his  great 
love  for  me,  offering  me  wine  or  beer  in  honor  of  the 
happy  day.  While  I  would  have  enjoyed  Fischer's 


1 64  Reminiscences 

hospitality  upon  any  other  occasion,  I  was  in  despair 
when  I  looked  around  and  saw  the  condition  of  my 
little  band  and,  knowing  their  musical  state  when 
sober,  I  naturally  felt  that  the  engagement  to  play 
for  the  lecture  that  evening  would  be  connected 
with  great  risk.  I  issued  a  call  upon  them  never- 
theless to  follow  me  to  the  hall,  whereupon  they 
began  to  laugh,  and  informed  me  en  masse  that 
they  would  not  play,  that  it  was  Fischer's  Geburtstag, 
that  they  were  invited  there  by  him  to  celebrate  the 
happy  event,  and  that  they  would  never  desert  him. 

For  a  moment  I  was  staggered.  It  was  nearly 
time  for  the  concert,  and  here  were  my  men  in  a 
semi-intoxicated  condition,  refusing  to  play.  Sud- 
denly a  happy  thought  came  to  me,  and  in  the  most 
chummy  manner  I  said,  "  All  right,  boys,  let  's 
have  a  round  of  beer  in  honor  of  the  event."  The 
beer  was  immediately  served,  and  lifting  my  glass  I 
drank-  to  the  health  of  Peter  Fischer,  our  colleague. 
While  waiting  for  another  round  I  said  that  the 
glorious  day  could  not  be  brought  to  a  nobler  close 
than  by  an  hour  of  music,  and  again  drinking  to 
Fischer  and  the  orchestra,  I  emptied  my  stein,  and 
while  waiting  for  another  I  led  up  to  the  concert 
which  we  were  pledged  to  play  at  Music  Hall,  to 
the  disgrace  if  we  failed  to  appear  and  do  our  duty, 
and  by  the  time  the  third  stein  had  been  emptied 
the  entire  band  voted  to  follow  me  to  the  hall,  and 
with  Fischer  at  the  head  we  started. 

It  was  fortunate  that  the  beer-stube  was  so  near, 
otherwise  we  might  never  have  reached  the  hall, 
owing  to  the  uncertain  condition  of  some  of  the 
artists.  They  managed  to  take  their  places  upon 


Steinert's  Orchestra  165 

the  stage,  however,  and  began  at  once  to  manipu- 
late their  instruments.  The  program  arranged  for 
the  evening  opened  with  a  Haydn  symphony,  fol- 
lowed by  Auber's  overture  to  Crown  Diamonds,  but 
when  the  men  attacked  the  symphony,  and  I,  sitting 
in  the  middle,  conducting  and  playing,  was  called 
upon  once  or  twice  to  save  the  swaying  double-bass 
from  falling,  while  the  violins  gave  forth  the  most 
doubtful  tones,  the  flutes  and  clarionets  emitted  the 
most  blood-curdling  cries,  the  horns  croaked  pain- 
fully, and  the  trombones  brayed  incoherently,  I 
found  that  Haydn  was  not  ''in  it"  on  Fischer's 
birthday,  and  we  abruptly  came  to  a  general  pause. 
Wishing  to  fill  in  the  time  to  our  credit,  I  called  for 
a  German  march  which  they  knew  by  heart,  and 
which  I  hoped  might  serve  my  temperance  audience 
for  Haydn's  symphony.  Being  now  initiated  in  the 
musical  state  of  my  orchestra,  I  kept  them  playing 
simple  pieces  which  they  knew,  for  on  that  memor- 
able evening  they  could  not  trust  to  their  eyes.  I 
was  just  congratulating  myself  upon  the  success  of 
the  affair,  and  we  were  on  the  last  waltz,  when  the 
double-bass  utterly  collapsed  and  fell  to  the  floor, 
his  big  instrument  on  top  of  him.  A  storm  of  ap- 
plause came  from  the  audience;  in  fact,  the  per- 
formance of  my  artists  that  evening  would  have 
made  the  most  solemn  dyspeptic  laugh.  The  fall 
of  the  bass  was  the  finale,  and  we  scrambled  off  the 
stage,  to  be  followed  by  Gough,  who  delivered  a 
powerful  lecture  on  temperance.  I  regret  to  say 
that  we  were  not  re-engaged. 

I  now  felt  that  my  position  as  organist  at  St. 
Thomas's  was  not  paying  me  enough,  so  I  asked  for 


1 66  Reminiscences 

an  increase  of  salary,  and  as  it  was  not  forthcoming 
I  decided  to  make  a  change,  and  applied  for  the 
organ  at  St.  Patrick's.  My  early  training  at  the 
monastery  at  Scheinfeld  had  well  fitted  me  for  the 
work  required,  and  I  was  appointed  to  the  position 
with  a  salary  of  three  hundred  dollars  a  year.  I 
soon  gave  Mozart's  Twelfth  Mass  with  orchestra, 
this  being  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the  State 
that  a  mass  with  orchestra  was  sung  in  church.  If  I 
am  to  judge  by  the  crowd  that  entered  the  church 
on  that  memorable  Sunday  morning,  and  the  im- 
mense gathering  that  stood  outside  the  building,  it 
must  have  been  an  event  of  some  importance. 

The  excitement  and  work  that  rested  upon  me  at 
that  time  brought  on  a  run  of  typhoid  fever,  and  I 
was  ill  for  over  four  weeks  and  nearly  lost  my  life. 
My  good  wife,  noticing  the  immense  amount  of 
work  which  I  did,  and  the  small  returns,  suggested 
that  I  change  my  profession,  and  I  began  to  look 
about  for  something  else  to  do,  finally  deciding  to 
go  into  the  manufacturing  of  hoop-skirts,  having 
acquired  a  certain  knowledge  of  the  business  here 
and  in  Birmingham.  Just  as  I  was  ready  to  open 
my  establishment,  I  was  told  that  the  business  had 
seen  its  best  days,  and  that  I  had  better  try  some- 
thing else.  As  I  had  already  rented  a  store,  which 
was  built  for  me  on  Grand  Avenue,  and  as  I  was 
determined  to  give  up  teaching,  I  took  the  advice 
of  Mrs.  Steinert  to  open  a  music  store, — Mrs. 
Steinert  basing  her  advice  on  the  fact  that  I  had 
two  second-hand  pianos  and  a  lot  of  fiddles,  and  that 
as  I  could  tune  and  repair  pianos,  she  felt  sure  that 
I  could  sell  them.  I  never  stopped  to  consider; 


Steinert's  Orchestra  167 

what  my  good  wife  advised  was  law  to  me  and, 
without  more  ado,  I  moved  my  two  second-hand 
pianos,  fiddles,  tuning-hammer,  and  whatever  I  had 
in  musical  wares  into  the  store  on  Grand  Avenue, 
and  hung  out  my  shingle. 

About  this  time  I  began  to  receive  letters  from 
my  friends  in  Athens  asking  me  to  come  back  and 
resume  my  profession;  but  in  addition  there  also 
came  letters  from  my  former  pupils  whose  parents 
were  looked  upon  as  rich  before  the  war,  and 
who  now,  on  account  of  the  emancipation  of  their 
slaves  and  the  destruction  of  their  property,  were  in 
a  precarious  condition.  These  pupils  wrote,  me, 
asking  me  to  advise  them  regarding  the  teaching  of 
music,  feeling  that  in  their  distress  they  must  make 
use  of  the  instruction  which  they  had  received  from 
me.  They  also  told  me  that  my  property  had  been 
confiscated,  and  that  unless  I  came  South  at  once 
and  claimed  it,  I  could  expect  nothing.  Under 
such  conditions  I  decided  to  let  it  go,  although  I 
greatly  mourned  the  loss  of  my  violoncello  which,  in 
my  hasty  flight,  I  had  left  in  the  house  of  a  Northern 
family  by  the  name  of  Meeker.  I  felt  that  Mrs. 
Meeker  would  guard  it  carefully;  but  I  knew  what 
war  meant,  and  as  the  months  passed  and  I  heard 
nothing  from  her,  I  concluded  that  my  Gemunder 
'cello  had  gone  with  the  rest  of  my  property. 

One  morning  I  received  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Meeker 
telling  me  that  she  was  now  living  in  New  York 
City,  and  that  if  I  would  call  upon  her  during  the 
week  she  would  be  delighted  to  restore  my  violon- 
cello, as  Mrs.  Meyer,  who  had  kept  it  since  she  left 
Athens,  was  coming  to  New  York  on  business,  and 


1 68  Reminiscences 

would  bring  it  with  her.  I  hastened  to  New  York 
on  the  appointed  day,  and  found  Mrs.  Meyer  at  the 
Meekers',  and  my  beloved  'cello  was  given  to  me. 
After  many  questions,  Mrs.  Meeker  told  me  that 
after  the  people  knew  that  there  was  no  prospect  of 
my  coming  back,  and  in  their  anger  had  seized  my 
household  effects,  they  remembered  that  I  had  an 
expensive  violoncello,  and  began  to  look  for  it, 
finally  coming  to  her  and  demanding  it.  She  de- 
nied all  knowledge  of  it,  though  it  was  hidden  away 
in  a  secret  closet  in  the  garret.  After  questioning 
her  persistently,  they  evidently  believed  that  she 
was  telling  the  truth,  for  they  went  away  leaving 
her  in  possession  of  the  instrument.  During  the 
second  year  of  the  war  her  family  was  destitute  and 
in  a  starving  condition,  and  she  made  up  her  mind 
that  she  must  either  sell  my  'cello  or  the  pet  cow 
which  she  had  raised  by  hand  from  a  calf,  and  of 
which  she  was  very  fond.  After  thinking  the  mat- 
ter over  for  some  time,  she  went  up-stairs  and  took 
the  'cello  from  its  hiding-place,  resolved  to  sacrifice 
it  instead  of  the  cow,  but  as  she  passed  her  hands 
over  the  strings  they  began  to  vibrate,  and  to  her 
excited  mind  seemingly  spoke,  begging  to  be  spared. 
Without  a  moment's  hesitation  she  put  it  back  in 
the  closet,  sent  for  the  butcher,  and  sold  her  cow. 
In  telling  the  story  she  said  that  the  reproachful 
tones  of  the  'cello  so  moved  her  that  she  would 
have  starved  rather  than  part  with  it.  With  my 
eyes  swimming  with  tears  I  received  again  my  be- 
loved companion,  for  its  loss  had  filled  me  with 
deep  sorrow.  My  esteemed  friend,  Mr.  John  D. 
Jackson,  of  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  an  amateur 
'cellist  of  ability,  now  possesses  the  instrument. 


VIOLONCELLO. 
Made  by  George  Gemiinder. 


CHAPTER  IX 

Business 

IT  was  in  the  year  1865  that  I  opened  the  store 
on  Grand  Avenue.  Besides  my  two  second- 
hand pianos  and  small  musical  instruments  I  carried 
a  stock  of  sheet  music ;  and  as  it  was  nearing  the 
holiday  season  I  added  a  small  stock  of  Christmas 
goods.  My  wife  proved  to  be  an  excellent  sales- 
woman, her  genial  disposition  being  appreciated  by 
the  customers  that  frequented  our  shop.  She  also 
had  a  keen  business  sense  which  stood  us  in  good 
stead,  and  our  humble  little  music  store  soon  be- 
came quite  a  popular  and  attractive  centre,  though 
its  location  was  not  what  I  could  wish,  nor  was  the 
establishment  quite  what  I  had  pictured  in  my 
dreams.  As  my  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Bretzfelder,  had 
advanced  me  the  few  hundred  dollars  he  could  spare, 
and  as  I  had  only  a  limited  credit  with  music  dealers 
in  New  York,  I  did  not  like  at  that  time  to  attempt 
anything  larger  or  more  pretentious.  We  were  very 
fortunate,  and  I  soon  disposed  of  my  two  second- 
hand pianos,  while,  through  the  influence  of  my 
temperance  band,  I  sold  a  number  of  fiddles,  flutes, 
and  fiddle-strings,  building  up  quite  a  following 

l6q 


1 70  Reminiscences 

among  the  musicians  of  New  Haven  ;  and  in  con- 
sequence I  made  money,  paying  off  my  indebted- 
ness to  my  brother-in-law,  and  clearing  about  three 
thousand  dollars  in  the  first  four  or  five  months. 
Of  course  I  felt  very  uneasy,  for  prosperity  at  that 
time  tended  to  make  me  uncomfortable,  so  I  decided 
to  manufacture  pianos.  As  this  venture  required 
more  capital  than  I  could  possibly  invest,  I  per- 
suaded some  of  my  German  friends  to  go  in  business 
with  me,  and  we  started  a  company  with  a  capital  of 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  calling  it  "  The  Ma- 
thushek  Pianoforte  Company."  Mr.  Mathushek, 
an  eminent  piano-builder,  residing  in  New  York, 
permitted  us  to  use  his  name  and  accepted  the 
superintendency  of  the  concern,  and  we  began  to 
manufacture  pianos  in  quite  an  extensive  way  on 
Orange  Street  between  Chapel  and  Crown  Streets, 
on  the  site  now  occupied  by  The  Armstrong  Furni- 
ture Company. 

While  this  may  appear  as  a  wild  and  foolhardy 
venture,  I  must  state  that  about  thirty-five  years 
ago  the  manufacture  of  pianos  rested  in  the  hands 
of  a  few  men,  and  on  account  of  the  little  competi- 
tion and  the  increasing  demand  for  their  instruments, 
it  was  difficult  for  a  small  dealer  like  myself  to  ob- 
tain the  agency  for  the  sale  of  the  pianos  made  by  the 
manufacturers  who  had  a  wide  reputation,  —  partly 
because  of  the  superiority  of  their  goods,  and  partly 
because  of  the  popularity  gained  by  their  extensive 
advertising.  These  piano-makers  had  sufficient  out- 
put for  their  instruments  in  the  large  cities,  and  they 
could  therefore  snub  the  dealers  in  the  small  cities; 
and  it  was  considered  somewhat  of  a  monopoly  to 


Business  171 

be  allowed  by  these  piano  parents  to  buy  their  goods 
at  any  price.  The  small  dealers,  therefore,  humbly 
submitted  and  served  these  feudal  lords  o£  the  trade 
according  to  the  autocratic  methods  which  they 
dictated.  The  terms  of  these  parents  were  in  keep- 
ing with  the  popularity  which  their  instruments  en- 
joyed, and  as  the  public  then,  and  even  now,  know 
but  little  concerning  the  merits  of  musical  instru- 
ments, they  were  guided  and  influenced  mainly  by 
the  reports  which  came  to  their  ears  from  time  to 
time  of  the  superiority  of  one  maker  over  another. 

The  course  pursued  by  these  parents  was  a  most 
original  and  expensive  one,  for  they  would  engage 
celebrated  artists  to  play  upon  their  pianos  in  pub- 
lic, having  the  name  of  the  maker  of  the  piano  in 
large  letters  in  front  of  the  instrument,  while  the 
program  was  filled  up  with  testimonials  from  cele- 
brated musicians,  praising  the  piano  and  detailing  its 
excellence  over  all  others.  To  enhance  still  further 
this  popularity,  large  concert  halls  were  built  where 
the  piano  made  by  the  builder  was  exclusively  used. 

In  manufacturing  the  "  Mathushek  Piano,"  under 
conditions  so  different  from  those  employed  by  the 
great  parents,  viz.,  having  had  no  experience  in 
manufacturing  or  in  advertising,  and  not  possessing 
or  being  imbued  with  the  artificial  and  conniving 
ways  of  the  mighty  ones,  I  was  at  a  disadvantage 
in  placing  our  pianos  and  giving  to  our  production 
the  prestige  and  heavenly  halo  that  was  so  much  a 
part  of  a  piano  sale  at  that  time.  Thus  certain  dif- 
ficulties regarding  our  Superintendent,  and  the  fear 
of  my  German  partners  lest  they  lose  their  money, 
made  "  The  Mathushek  Pianoforte  Company," 


1 72  Reminiscences 

as  created  by  us,  short-lived;  and  as  we  were  all 
weary  of  the  venture,  we  virtually  presented  our 
successor  with  the  stock,  providing  that  he  would 
assume  our  responsibilities.  This  was,  indeed,  a 
losing  game  on  my  part,  and,  as  I  was  poorer  than 
ever  in  pocket  but  richer  in  experience,  I  decided  to 
hang  on  to  the  coat-tail  of  one  of  the  parents,  and 
I  found  it  a  greater  undertaking  than  starting  the 
"  Mathushek  Pianoforte  Company,"  and  losing  my 
money  besides. 

After  a  long  council  with  my  wife,  in  which  we 
went  over  the  situation  carefully,  she  suggested  that 
I  try  to  obtain  the  agency  of  one  of  the  well-known 
piano  houses,  and  as  her  advice  always  seemed  in- 
fallible, I  started,  one  fine  fall  day,  for  the  great 
metropolis.  I  was  conscious  of  the  many  obstacles 
before  me  in  gaining  an  audience,  and  was  not, 
therefore,  surprised  when  I  entered  the  establish- 
ment of  a  well-known  maker  to  be  looked  upon  with 
indifference  by  the  first  chap  I  met.  A  little  em- 
barrassed, I  hastened  to  tell  him  who  I  was,  where 
I  came  from,  and  what  I  wanted;  whereupon  he 
looked  me  over  from  head  to  foot,  and  evidently  not 
seeing  much  in  me  in  the  way  of  profit  nonchalantly 
directed  me  to  the  next  man,  to  whom  I  meekly  re- 
peated my  little  speech,  and  he,  having  to  deal  with 
persons  of  importance,  simply  said  "  Umph,"  and 
sent  me  along  down  the  line  to  the  next  fellow.  By 
this  time  I  knew  my  story  very  well,  and  I  rattled  it 
off  with  the  speed  of  an  accomplished  linguist  to  the 
man  who  was  occupied  in  counting  immense  rolls  of 
bills,  and  as  he  was  standing  next  to  the  safe,  I  de- 
cided that  he  was  the  guardian  of  the  treasury.  He 


Business  173 

was  a  stern-looking  man,  clean-shaven,  with  a  square, 
firm  jaw.  His  complexion  was  florid,  but  his  dispos- 
ition was  not,  for  he  was  as  cold  as  a  cucumber,  and 
he  looked  to  me,  as  he  stood  there,  like  a  figure  hewn 
out  of  marble.  My  speech  must  have  had  the  effect 
of  paralyzing  his  vocal  chords  and,  in  consequence, 
he  was  unable  to  utter  a  word,  so  he  turned  his  head 
and  pointed  to  the  man  behind  him»  By  this  time 
I  decided  that  the  fault  lay  in  my  speech,  and  as  I 
approached  the  man  who  was  seated  at  a  desk,  I 
had  a  new  one  ready.  When  I  stood  before  him 
and  looked  him  over,  I  decided  that  the  new  speech 
was  altogether  too  good  to  be  wasted  upon  him,  for 
he  looked  like  a  workman,  and  quite  out  of  place  in 
the  House  of  the  Barons.  He  was  a  different  chap 
from  the  rest,  because  when  I  addressed  him  he  un- 
graciously turned  away  his  head  and,  as  I  finished 
talking,  he  whirled  around  in  his  chair  and  expressed 
himself  most  indignantly,  demanding  of  me  to  ex- 
plain what  had  prompted  such  unwarrantable  intru- 
sion. I  meekly  tried  to  tell  him  all  over  again, 
whereupon  he  said:  "  We  are  not  in  need  of  an 
agent  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut ;  the  State  is 
altogether  too  small  for  our  extensive  province  in 
the  pianoforte  business.  Besides,  we  have  a  man 
who  looks  after  the  occasional  demand  for  a  piano 
in  that  section,  and  you  need  not  trouble  to  inquire 
further."  It  did  not  take  me  long  to  understand 
my  man,  and  instead  of  bothering  to  stop  at  station 
number  five,  I  turned  to  the  other  scribes  and  asked 
to  see  the  Baron  himself. 

Now  any  one  who   dared  to   make  such  a  de- 
mand was  looked  upon  as  a  great  man,  and  I  was 


174  -Reminiscences 

immediately  treated  with  respect,  and  politely  di- 
rected to  a  gentleman  who  sat  in  a  small  inclosure  at 
the  farther  end  of  the  room.  I  used  my  new  speech 
this  time,  and  succeeded  in  stating  my  case  quite 
clearly,  but  I  was  told  in  a  short  and  concise  manner 
that  there  was  no  opening  for  me.  I  left  the  house  in 
disgust  and  took  the  first  train  back  to  New  Haven, 
telling  my  good  wife  of  my  experience.  I  was  so 
indignant  at  the  treatment  I  had  received  that 
I  took  a  solemn  oath  never  to  approach  them 
again,  but  Mrs.  Steinert  after  a  time  pacified  me 
and  I  made  up  my  mind  to  try  it  once  more,  and 
started  again  for  the  House  of  the  Barons,  accom- 
panied by  Mrs.  Steinert,  and  supplied  with  a  num- 
ber of  letters  from  prominent  men  in  New  York 
City  as  to  my  ability  and  integrity.  I  also  took 
with  me  my  journal,  showing  my  sales  of  "  Mathu- 
shek  "  pianos,  and  the  prices  which  I  had  received 
for  them.  These  letters  and  the  presence  of  Mrs. 
Steinert  gained  immediate  admission  to  the  Baron, 
who,  after  reading  the  letters  and  looking  over  my 
sales,  consented  to  sell  me  pianos,  the  conditions 
being  that  I  must  furnish  a  bondsman  and  pay  cash 
every  thirty  days  on  my  purchases ;  which  terms  I 
gladly  accepted  and  carried  out.  I  did  a  good  busi- 
ness for  the  house  and,  as  I  also  sold  pianos  of  other 
makes,  my  sales  were  considerable.  By  this  time  I 
had  outgrown  my  little  Grand  Avenue  store,  and 
I  leased  a  desirable  one  on  Chapel  Street,  New 
Haven's  most  attractive  business  centre. 

After  \.\\e  fiasco  of  my  Dutch-Yankee  band  at  the 
Gough  temperance  lecture  I  felt  that  orchestral 
music  in  New  Haven  had  received  a  crushing  blow, 


ENGLISH    SPINET.     FIVE   OCTAVES. 
Made  by  Johannes  Hitchcock,  1750. 


Business  175 

but  as  I  was  deeply  interested  in  music,  I  organized 
a  string  quartet,  and  while  we  did  not  make  any 
pretensions  to  greatness,  when  compared  with  such 
quartets  as  existed  in  New  York  and  Boston,  it 
would  be  an  injustice  to  the  artists  should  I  call  it 
an  apology  for  a  quartet,  for  we  certainly  played  in 
good  tune  and  time  and  with  some  timbre,  though 
our  technique  and  its  resulting  tone-production  was 
of  a  diminutive  kind.  We  gave  a  number  of  recitals 
which  were  really  creditable,  and  which  were  also 
successful  financially.  There  were  even  then  in 
the  city  some  true  patrons  of  music  of  the  class 
we  interpreted,  who  attended  our  rehearsals  and 
gave  us  encouragement  to  go  ahead  with  the  work 
we  were  interested  in  studying,  and  among  the 
most  prominent  and  helpful  ones  I  must  mention 
Mrs.  Larned,  wife  of  Professor  W.  A.  Larned  of 
Yale,  and  most  especially  a  charming  young  lady  of 
the  highest  literary  attainments  and  musical  culture, 
Miss  Justine  Ingersoll,  daughter  of  former  Governor 
Ingersoll  of  Connecticut.  These  quartets  were  given 
yearly,  first  in  Brewster's  Hall  and  afterwards  in  the 
Athenaeum  on  Church  Street.  I  also  gave  a  series 
of  orchestral  concerts  every  Monday  night  in  Brew- 
ster's Hall,  the  orchestra  made  up  of  musicians  from 
Hartford,  Bridgeport,  and  New  Haven. 

Being  now  fully  initiated  in  the  music  business 
I  determined  to  make  it  a  success,  and  having  no 
capital  I  had  to  think  of  some  plan  to  carry  on  a 
large  business  and  make  good  profits  without  it. 
This  problem  was  a  serious  one,  but  I  looked  at  the 
main  principle  underlying  my  future  plans,  and 
found  that  it  was  made  up  of  two  words,  Good 


176  Reminiscences 

Credit.  In  other  words,  I  decided  to  avail  myself 
of  the  greatest  amount  of  credit  possible  from  piano- 
forte manufacturers ;  to  buy  their  pianos  at  the  low- 
est figure,  less  than  that  usually  given  for  a  cash 
sale,  and  on  very  long  credit ;  to  sell  them  as  quickly 
as  possible  and  at  the  largest  profit ;  with  this  money 
to  meet  the  first  month's  payment,  but  always  to 
have  four  or  five  months  ahead,  or  whatever  time  I 
was  able  to  obtain,  and  with  the  money  for  the  sales 
invest  in  other  pianos  which  could  be  sold  for  less 
money,  and  on  credit  or  the  instalment  plan.  I 
made  "  Credit  "  my  god,  and  did  a  remarkable 
business  until  the  hard  times  of  1869,  when,  like  ev- 
ery one  else,  I  was  for  a  time  in  a  critical  financial 
condition.  Still  I  was  hopeful,  for  I  found  that  I 
could  always  find  friends  who,  for  the  sake  of  their 
great  interest  in  me,  would  lend  me  money  at  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  per  cent.,  and  when  I  could  not  get 
what  I  needed  at  the  bank  I  permitted  them  to 
thus  generously  befriend  me. 

As  the  hard  times  increased  and  business  fell  off 
and  ray  notes  came  due,  I  awoke  to  the  realization 
that  something  must  be  done.  "  Sell  at  smaller 
profits,"  said  my  clerk;  but  I  knew  that  I  could  not 
pay  my  notes  with  less  profit,  and  as  all  I  had  in  the 
world  was  my  credit,  I  decided  to  try  and  sell 
pianos,  not  for  smaller  but  larger  profits — to  sell 
them  to  the  hard  men,  the  money-bags,  who  never 
buy  luxuries  unless  they  think  that  they  are  buying 
them  cheap.  I  had  hardly  framed  this  resolution, 
when  one  day  a  man  whom  I  knew  to  be  very  rich 
and  very  penurious,  came  to  me  and  said:  "  I  want 
to  buy  a  piano  for  my  daughter.  I  suppose  they  are 


Business  177 

cheap  now,  Mr.  Steinert  ?  "  "  Cheap  !  "  I  replied. 
'  You  can  buy  them  at  your  own  price  to-day." 
Whereupon  he  selected  one  of  the  best  instruments 
in  the  store,  and  asked  me  the  price,  and  I,  know- 
ing my  man  and  remembering  my  plan,  named  a 
price  which  would  give  me  a  large  profit,  and,  after 
considerable  bargaining,  he  bought  the  piano  at 
about  fifty  dollars  above  the  usual  asking  price. 
He  was  only  one  of  a  class  of  hard-fisted  men  who 
endeavored  to  take  advantage  of  the  stagnation  in 
business  and  buy  things  that,  under  other  condi- 
tions, they  would  never  have  thought  of  buying, 
and  from  them  I  made  a  good  profit  which  helped 
me  to  keep  my  credit  afloat. 

But  that  was  not  enough ;  and  I  called  forth  every 
ability  within  me,  and,  organizing  a  small  orchestra, 
I  played  every  night  for  dancing,  finally  looking  at 
my  growing  family  to  find  if  possible  among  them 
something  that  I  could  utilize.  There  I  found  my 
daughter,  Heloise,  and  my  son,  Henry,  and  I  im- 
mediately determined  to  put  them  into  the  harness 
and  let  them  help.  I  trained  them  to  play  concert 
music  with  me,  and  we  played  classical  music  for 
piano,  violin,  and  violoncello,  each  one  appearing  as 
soloist  on  the  respective  instruments, — Heloise  the 
piano,  Henry  the  violin,  and  I  the  violoncello;  and 
we  played  every  Sunday  night  for  the  German  soci- 
eties, while  every  Monday  evening,  Henry  and  I, 
with  our  orchestra,  played  for  dances,  my  cook  and 
chambermaid  being  among  the  happy,  pleasure- 
seeking  company,  for,  even  if  I  worked  all  day  and 
all  night  and  had  no  capital,  I  lived  like  a  prince. 
Upon  several  occasions  my  cook  and  her  partner 


1 78  Reminiscences 

came  to  me  and  asked  me  to  play  a  Strauss  waltz, 
or  my  chambermaid  wanted  a  polka,  which  I  cheer- 
fully called  upon  the  orchestra  to  play,  as,  for  the 
sake  of  my  god,  "  Credit,"  I  was  their  servant  on 
Monday  nights,  while  they  belonged  to  me  for  the 
rest  of  the  week. 

I  did  a  large  business  with-  all  the  manufacturers, 
and  they  considered  me  a  remarkably  successful 
agent,  and  my  credit  became  absolute,  Unlimited. 
With  all  this,  having  a  large  and  growing  family, 
for  there  were  now  nine  children  to  be  clothed  and 
fed,  I  could  not  see,  with  all  my  work,  any  road 
ahead  that  led  to  riches,  and  I  had  promised  myself  to 
be  a  rich  man.  If  I  did  not,  therefore,  get  rich,  there 
must  be  something  wrong  with  my  business  meth- 
ods ;  so  I  surveyed  the  territory  about  me,  and  asked 
myself  whether  I  were  not  too  big  a  gun  for  the 
small  community  where  I  lived,  and,  as  I  always 
thought  I  was  a  little  smarter  than  the  next  man,  I 
concluded  that  my  coat  was  too  small  for  me,  and 
I  looked  for  a  larger  one.  I  was  fond  of  New 
Haven,  but  I  fancied  that  there  might  be  other 
cities  where  the  inhabitants  were  more  liberal  and 
could  be  of  greater  benefit  to  me  than  my  townfolk. 
I  well  knew  that  my  success  in  life  depended  upon 
what  I  could  gain  from  the  people,  so  I  concluded 
to  branch  out  and  enlarge  my  business  by  going  to 
another  city,  and  at  the  same  time  to  keep  the  foot- 
hold I  had  gained  in  New  Haven.  To  do  this  I  had 
to  have  assistance,  and  I  made  use  of  my  sons, 
Henry  and  Alexander,  who  were  respectively  nine- 
teen and  seventeen  years  of  age.  I  therefore  har- 
nessed them  into  my  business  van,  and  with  them 


Business  179 

I  went  to  Providence,  Rhode  Island,  where  I  rented 
a  store  for  three  thousand  dollars  a  year,  stocked  it 
with  pianos  and  musical  wares,  which  I  obtained  on 
credit,  advertised  the  business,  and  left  my  boys  in 
charge,  spending  three  days  there  every  week  drum- 
ming up  trade,  and  from  the  very  beginning  I  made 
money,  and  a  good  deal  of  it  too.  Influenced  by  my 
success  in  Providence,  I  turned  my  eyes  towards  Bos- 
ton as  a  good  field  for  an  enterprising  man,  and,  using 
my  credit  still  further,  I  went  to  the  "  Hub,"  where 
I  met  with  even  greater  success.  The  Boston  house 
I  gave  to  the  management  of  my  second  son,  Alex- 
ander, who,  with  the  assistance  of  his  brother 
Frederick,  soon  made  an  inroad  into  the  pianoforte 
business  of  the  "  Hub."  Boston  proved  to  be  a 
more  lucrative  place  than  Providence  and  New 
Haven  together,  and  as  my  sons  became  partners 
when  they  reached  their  twenty-first  birthday,  we 
felt  that  we  were  a  very  happy  family.  The  con- 
servative ways  of  Boston  music  dealers  made  it  an 
easy  task  for  Connecticut  hustlers,  and  we  soon  let 
them  know  that  we  were  in  the  city,  and  as  we  had 
no  other  aspiration  than  to  make  a  reputation  and 
money  we  were  satisfied.  At  the  beginning  of  this 
chapter  I  said  that  I  was  determined  to  be  a  success 
as  a  business  man,  and  both  my  sons  and  myself 
looked  to  this  motto  as  the  principle  of  our  business 
life. 

My  early  struggles,  and  those  that  were  even  at 
this  time  surrounding  me,  taught  me  that  the  man 
who  has  no  money  has  nothing  to  say  in  this  world, 
while  the  man  who  has  money  has  everything  to 
say, — not  that  I  look  upon  money  as  the  elixir  of  life, 


i8o  Reminiscences 

or  that  I  love  it,  or  love  to  work  in  order  to  make 
it;  not  that  I  became  a  piano-dealer  by  the  grace 
of  God,  or  that  I  admired  that  particular  profession. 
Not  at  all ;  I  simply  selected  it  as  a  means  of  sup- 
port, and  thought  it  a  good  way  of  making  money 
even  when  I  should  become  disgusted  with  it  and 
resolved  to  work  no  more.  I  never  believed  that 
money  was  the  root  of  all  evil,  but  rather  looked 
upon  it  as  a  tree  upon  which  grew  the  sweet  flowers 
of  comfort,  pleasure,  and  happiness.  From  experi- 
ence I  knew  what  it  was  to  be  without  money,  and  so 
for  variety's  sake,  if  nothing  more,  I  wanted  to  know 
what  it  was  to  have  plenty  of  it.  For  these  reasons 
I  determined  to  utilize  every  ability  to  that  end, 
honestly,  conscientiously,  and  in  keeping  with  the 
highest  ideal  of  morality.  To  speak  plainly,  I 
wanted  to  exchange  pianos  for  money,  and  at  a  good 
profit,  for  it  was  for  large  rather  than  small  profits 
that  I  worked.  I  well  knew  that  I  was  dependent 
upon  the  large  amount  of  business  I  could  do  to  feed 
the  hungry  wolves  of  manufacturers,  so  I  used  their 
money  as  credit  while  I  appealed  to  the  generosity 
and  good-will  of  the  public  for  such  profits  as  would 
keep  me  from  bankruptcy  and  despair.  I  also  real- 
ized that  I  was  dealing  with  a  liberal  and  cultured 
class  of  people ;  I  understood  the  social  position  of 
the  New  Englander,  knew  that  he  liked  good  things, 
and  that  he  was  always  willing  to  pay  for  them,  and 
I  thought  that  I  was  the  chosen  one  to  gratify  his 
demands. 

I  had  trained  my  sons  from  their  boyhood  in  the 
art  of  music.  They  lived  in  a  musical  atmosphere, 
having  it  served  to  them  morning,  noon,  and  night; 


Business  181 

so  when  I  put  them  into  active  service  they  were  com- 
petent, for  I  had  laid  quite  as  much  stress  upon  their 
being  able  to  play  the  piano  well  as  upon  their  abil- 
ity to  give  the  customary  "  gush  "  that  accompanies 
a  sale;  in  other  words,  they  had  been  taught  to  let 
the  piano  speak  for  itself.  I  availed  myself  person- 
ally of  certain  musical  gifts  which  I  possessed, playing 
my  instrument  in  accordance  with  the  characteristics 
which  were  inherent  in  my  customer.  Having  some 
knowledge  of  human  nature,  I  preferred  to  use  my 
influence  through  the  medium  of  tone,  harmony, 
and  rhythm,  playing  such  music  as  would  appear  in 
keeping  with  the  emotional  nature  of  the  purchaser, 
interesting  him,  if  possible,  in  the  mysteries  of  tonal 
art,  and  holding  him  spellbound.  I  fully  realized 
that  as  a  piano  dealer  I  had  many  competitors,  but 
in  my  peculiar  method  of  disposing  of  an  instrument 
and  in  controlling  my  customer,  I  felt  that  I  had 
few.  Such  an  assertion  from  one  who  writes  his 
own  experience  may  sound  immodest,  but  better 
appear  immodest  than  admit  that  I  did  not  fully 
understand  myself  and  my  talents. 

There  is  hardly  a  human  being  that  is  not  fond  of 
music,  for  as  the  human  eye  is  either  charmed  or 
horrified  as  it  looks  at  things  spread  out  before  it, 
and  experiences  pleasant  or  unpleasant  sensations, 
so  the  human  ear,  with  its  mysterious  work,  receives 
sensations  which  come  from  another  world  than  that 
which  exists  for  the  eye.  A  world  of  greater  spirit- 
uality and  more  profound  happiness  belongs  to  the 
little  organ  which  we  call  the  ear,  and  though  many 
things  greet  it  unpleasantly,  like  the  discharge  of  a 
cannon  or  the  sudden  noises  that  are  created  by 


1 82  Reminiscences 

nature  or  circumstances,  it  is  also  treated  to  delight- 
ful contrasts,  such  as  the  euphonious  sounds  of 
speech,  the  musical  tones  found  in  song,  the  un- 
speakable wealth  of  a  stringed  instrument,  the 
refined  vibrations  that  enter  the  tube  of  a  flute,  clar- 
ionet, French  horn,  or  oboe,  which  when  created 
and  properly  controlled  by  a  virtuoso  cannot  fail  to 
move  the  heart  of  the  listener,  and  especially  the  un- 
initiated, who  hears  its  hypnotizing  effect  for  the  first 
time.  Like  the  orator  or  the  actor,  the  musician,  by 
means  of  the  musical  tones  under  his  control,  can 
more  greatly  appeal  to  and  influence  such  classes  of 
humanity  as  do  not  belong  to  the  chosen  ones  who 
worship  at  the  shrine  of  Orpheus, — and  so  I  must 
confess  that  the  power  given  to  the  true  musician  to 
move  the  world  was  used  by  me  for  purposes  so 
vulgar  and  of^uch  a  nature  as  the  furtherance  of  my 
business.  If  I  look  upon  the  humorous  side  when  I 
applied  my  hypnotizing  art  upon  the  different  sub- 
jects that  exchanged  their  good  money  for  my  poor 
pianos,  my  great  results  as  a  musical  salesman,  and 
the  bargains  I  made  with  them,  I  must  admit  that 
there  was  not  only  money  but  lots  of  poetry  in  the 
pianoforte  business  after  all.  In  order  to  fully 
illustrate  the  modus  operandi  that  served  me 
through  music  as  the  handmaid  to  my  pocket- 
book,  I  will  let  my  readers  look  at  my  art  openly 
and  squarely,  and  should  I  succeed  in  creating 
a  new  school  for  the  unfortunate  pianoforte  seller, 
I  think  I  would  serve  both  art  and  salesmanship 
honestly. 

First  on  my  list  is  the  churchman,  a  man  who  had 
served   his    apprenticeship   in   the   Sunday-school. 


Business  183 

My  appeal  to  him  had  to  be  made  through  suitable 
music.  For  instance,  I  usually  prayed  Shall  We 
Gather  at  the  River ;  but  if  my  man  was  of  middle 
age,  having  grown  gray  in  his  holy  work,  I  substi- 
tuted one  of  the  tunes  that  once  upon  a  time  gave 
such  hope  and  prospective  happiness  to  the  young 
Christian,  as  Jesus,  Lover  of  My  Soul ;  this,  played  in 
the  key  of  F,  always  clinched  the  bargain  with  the 
devoted  citizen.  Such  program  music  to  the  Irish- 
woman who  carried  the  price  of  the  piano  with  her 
in  her  stocking  would  have  acted  very  disastrously 
upon  her  merry  temperament,  for  it  is  the  Irish 
dance  rhythm  found  in  reels  and  jigs  that  interests 
her,  and  all  I  had  to  do  was  to  keep  my  eye  on  her 
foot,  and  the  moment  she  began  to  move  her  light 
fantastic  toe  in  time  to  the  jig  I  was  hammering  out 
of  my  instrument,  the  piano  was  sold^md  I  had  her 
money.  The  German  piano  customer  is  of  a  differ- 
ent class,  and  had  to  be  subjected  to  an  entirely 
different  course  of  treatment.  The  Sweet  Bye  and 
Bye  or  The  Irish  Washerwoman  "  cut  no  ice  "  with 
him.  He  is  a  patriot ;  he  loves  his  Kaiser  and  his 
beer.  His  movements  in  the  dance  are  subject  to 
the  rhythms  of  the  gliding  waltz,  and  he  who  has 
once  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  glorious  army  of  the 
Kaiser  still  retains  the  echoes  of  martial  music,  and 
the  German,  not  the  Sousa  March,  is  in  his  brain; 
and  The  Beautiful  Blue  Danube  Waltz,  Die  Wacht 
am  Rhein,  or,  as  he  is  always  a  member  of  the  Man- 
nerchor  Singing  Society,  he  aspires  high  and  envelops 
himself  in  Kreutzer's  Es  ist  der  Tag  des  Herrn,  or 
Die  Kapelle.  If  I  gave  my  instrument  such  em- 
phasis as  to  bring  out  the  patriotic,  the  heroic,  and 


184  Reminiscences 

the  gemuthliche  feeling  of  the  Teutonic  purchaser, 
the  shekels  ran  into  my  coffers. 

But  the  poetical  forces,  the  refinement  of  the 
musical  salesman  can  be  beautifully  demonstrated 
when  an  American  woman  of  any  age  enters  the 
wareroom  in  search  of  a  piano, — she  who  dearly 
loves  music,  and  hastens  to  assure  you  that  she 
invariably  falls  asleep  to  its  soothing  strains;  that 
she  is  so  passionately  fond  of  it  that  she  can 
go  without  eating  or  drinking  if  she  can  only 
listen  to  sweet  music,  and  that  she  never  tires  of 
it.  She  loves  the  opera,  and  she  thinks  singing 
quite  beyond  anything  else  in  the  world, — some- 
thing simply  grand.  She  has  listened  to  all  the 
operas  she  has  ever  heard  of,  and  she  can  hum 
them  all  by  ear  or  play  them  on  the  piano,  and  it 
is  really  not  remarkable  that  she  can  do  this  be- 
cause she  so  dearly  loves  music.  She  assures  you 
that  Paderewski's  playing  is  heavenly,  that  she 
is  simply  dying  to  meet  him,  and  that  she  would 
willingly  walk  ten  miles  to  hear  him  play  and  pay 
five  dollars  for  her  ticket  besides.  She  thinks  that 
any  one  who  has  not  heard  Paderewski  play  does 
not  know  or  appreciate  what  life  is.  She  is  so 
earnest  in  her  love  for  the  divine  and  heavenly  art 
that  she  places  her  fingers  caressingly  on  the  keys 
of  the  piano  and  plays  some  snatches  of  Chopin, 
looking  into  your  eyes  the  while,  and  growing  more 
friendly.  Finally,  in  a  burst  of  confidence,  she  tells 
you  that  she  comes  from  a  very  musical  family ;  her 
father,  who  just  died — she  stops  her  soulful  playing 
to  brush  away  a  tear — was  a  great  musician,  and 
leader  of  the  choir,  while  her  mother  was  one  of 


UPRIGHT  HAMMER-CLAVIER.     FOUR  AND  A  HALF  OCTAVES.     1780. 


Business  185 

the  loveliest  alto  singers  in  the  State,  —  that  her 
voice  was  so  powerful  and  yet  so  sweet  and  mellow, 
that  it  could  be  heard  half  a  mile  away,  and  fur- 
thermore—  she  has  now  commenced  to  play  the 
Chopin  C-sharp-minor  nocturne  —  that  she  has  in- 
herited her  talent  from  her  father's  side,  for  her 
grandfather  was  a  great  performer  on  the  bugle, 
and  he  also  played  the  bass  viol  in  the  choir  for 
fifty  years.  These  and  many  more  such  assurances 
from  the  accomplished  musician  convince  me  that 
'most  any  piano  will  do,  and  it  is  the  cheapest 
plan  to  let  her  revel  in  her  glorious  art.  Let  her 
sit  and  play,  for  she  will  not  permit  any  rivalry, 
and  if  I  attempt  to  show  her  that  I,  too,  can  play 
on  occasions,  she  immediately  becomes  angry  and 
the  sale  is  lost.  After  many  years  in  the  business, 
I  assure  you  that  all  you  have  to  do  with  such  a 
customer  is  to  praise  her  efforts,  assure  her  that 
she  is  a  great  musician,  and  keep  her  playing.  If 
you  are  careful  not  to  say  anything  in  praise  of 
the  piano,  nine  times  out  of  ten  you  will  get  her 
money  —  if  she  has  any,  which  is  doubtful. 

Then  there  is  the  Hebrew,  who,  having  made  a  lot 
of  money  in  America,  wants  to  buy  a  piano  for  his 
daughter,  and  buy  it  cheap.  For  forty  years  I  have 
tried  to  find  some  style  of  music  that  appeals  to 
him,  and  although  I  have  patiently  gone  through 
the  entire  list  of  composers,  starting  in  with  songs 
sung  long  before  Moses  wrote,  or  did  n't  write,  the 
Pentateuch,  I  must  admit  my  failure  to  ever,  for  a 
second,  hypnotize  him  by  music  of  any  class.  The 
Hebrew  never  looks  beyond  the  polished  case  and 
the  price.  He  wants  the  largest,  by  all  means;  so 


1 86  Reminiscences 

to  those  who  are  to  come  after  me,  I  shall  say,  when 
the  Hebrew  comes  in  to  buy  a  piano,  show  him  one 
that  is  conspicuous  by  reason  of  its  size  and  high 
polish,  and  then  talk.  Never  mind  opening  the  in- 
strument, or  playing  upon  it,  or  telling  him  the 
name  of  the  maker.  It  's  the  price  he  wants,  and 
if  you  are  blest  with  the  gift  of  gab,  and  if  you  have 
started  in  with  a  price  sufficiently  high  to  admit  of 
many  reductions,  you  may  be  able  to  drive  a  bargain 
before  night, — that  is,  if  you  are  sharper  than  he  is. 
Being  now  fully  initiated  in  the  workings  of  the 
trade,  and  being  considered  a  prosperous  man  among 
the  New  Englanders,  I  cast  my  eyes  upon  the 
Western  horizon,  for  I  remembered  the  old  German 
saying  that  Hinter  den  Bergen  wo/men  auch  Men- 
scheny — "  Behind  the  mountains  there  are  other 
people," — and  as  I  had  heard  of  the  fortunes  made 
in  the  Western  country,  I  prevailed  one  day  upon 
the  Barons  and  the  plebeian  pianoforte  manufactur- 
ers to  give  their  consent  to  be  represented  in  Cin- 
cinnati. I  had  seven  sons  and  could  safely  spare 
a  few  to  harness  to  the  Western  end  of  the  business 
van.  So  I  selected  my  eldest  son,  Henry,  and  his 
brother  William  for  the  missionary  field,  placing 
Edward  in  charge  of  the  Providence  house.  I  gave 
the  boys  a  handsome  stock  of  instruments,  and 
along  with  them  my  blessing,  and  they  opened  a 
large  establishment  in  Cincinnati.  As  I  was  not 
there  with  them,  I  cannot  say  whether  they  ever 
established  a  busiriess,  but  can  only  state  that  their 
letters  were  hopeful  and  naturally  gave  me  great 
encouragement.  I  soon  realized,  however,  that  the 
practical  results  were  not  in  keeping  with  their  let- 


Business  187 

ters,  and  after  a  year  or  two,  and  after  going  there 
myself  and  investigating  the  cause  of  our  non-suc- 
cess, I  decided  that  the  West,  unlike  the  East,  did 
not  show  blind  loyalty  and  allegiance  to  the  Barons, 
and  while  they  were  always  ready  to  listen  to  a  pianist 
who  travelled  through  that  section  advertising  the 
Baron's  pianos,  they  were  disinclined  to  buy  and  pay 
the  price  demanded  for  the  instrument  upon  which 
he  played.  So  while  the  hired  man  was  paid  by 
the  Barons  to  show  their  pianos,  the  public  took 
stock  only  in  his  playing,  and  bought  their  pianos 
from  another  maker,  and  the  Barons  were  at  the 
disadvantage  of  advertising  for  others. 

My  non-success  in  Cincinnati  did  not  have  a 
soothing  effect  upon  the  House  of  the  Barons  in 
the  East,  and  in  consequence  many  slurring  re- 
marks were  made  by  them  to  me.  They  were, 
however,  well  aware  of  my  oath  of  allegiance  and 
my  sincerity,  and  felt  sure  of  my  loyalty  towards 
them,  and  while  I  could  not  guarantee  such  loyalty 
from  my  dear  offspring,  the  thought  that  I  was  all 
right  was  comforting  to  me.  I  finally  appealed  to 
my  boys,  telling  them  to  forcibly  introduce  and 
sell  the  art  production  of  the  Barons  in  the  West, 
but  I  was  told  by  them  that  the  Western  men  failed 
to  see  the  superiority  of  the  baronial  wares  over 
those  of  more  plebeian  make;  and  inasmuch  as  the 
West  was  quite  aware  of  her  ability  to  produce  fine 
instruments  in  response  to  the  demands  of  the 
people,  she  felt  herself  capable  of  making  as  good 
pianos  as  any  one  else  in  America  or  Europe.  She 
was  also  aware  of  her  ability  to  produce  them  at 
a  fair  price,  and,  as  she  was  confident  of  the 


1 88  Reminiscences 

support  she  would  receive,  to  make  a  good  profit  be- 
sides. This  information  was  hardly  calculated  to 
be  imparted  to  the  Barons,  as  it  carried  with  it  quite 
a  little  treason,  and  as  I  wanted  to  be  on  good  terms 
with  them  I  advised  them  of  my  willingness  to  with- 
draw from  the  Western  market,  and  sell  out  to  any 
one  who  could  work  to  greater  advantage  for  them. 
My  suggestion  found  a  ready  response,  and  soon  a 
large  and  old  Western  house  which  had  been  in  the 
business  for  over  sixty  years  bought  my  interest, 
and  I  took  my  money  and  gracefully  withdrew,  re- 
turning to  my  peaceful  Eastern  abode.  There  was 
great  rejoicing  East  and  West  when  this  deal  was 
consummated,  and  hope  again  dawned  upon  the 
baronial  horizon,  for  my  successors  invested  largely 
in  their  pianos.  But  alas !  after  a  few  years  of  hard 
work  and  many  sacrifices,  this  Western  firm  made 
an  assignment.  Not  yet  satisfied  with  the  failure 
of  their  goods  in  the  West,  the  Barons  put  their 
own  shoulders  to  the  wheel,  and  established  busi- 
ness houses  in  all  of  the  large  cities  of  the  West, 
under  their  own  management,  and  after  trying 
their  fortune  and  undeniable  skill  they  repeated 
my  success  (?)  and  finally  withdrew  their  forces. 

Having  lost  some  money  in  my  Western  experi- 
ment, and  being  a  little  cast  down  thereat,  Dame 
Fortune  came  to  me  one  day  and  in  her  sweet  man- 
ner beckoned  to  me  with  her  magic  wand,  and  with 
her  angelic  voice,  like  the  siren  song  of  the  Lorelei, 
told  me  that  she  had  come  to  cheer  and  console  me, 
and  that  her  horn  of  plenty  was  running  over  with 
bright,  shining  gold  pieces  which  would  roll  into  my 
lap  if  I  felt  inclined  to  receive  them.  I  threw  her  a 


Business  189 

kiss,  bowed  my  knee  to  her  as  she  vanished,  and  her 
words  were  followed  by  an  offer  of  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars  for  the  renouncement  of  the  lease 
of  my  Boston  store.  This  offer  was  made  by  a  syn- 
dicate who  intended  to  build  a  mammoth  hotel  upon 
the  site,  to  be  called  the  "  Touraine."  Mr.  Alex- 
ander Porter  made  to  my  son,  Alexander,  an  initia- 
tory offer  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  raising  his  offer 
to  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  almost  immedi- 
ately, and  when  my  son  submitted  the  proposal  to 
me,  I  deemed  myself  the  chosen  one  to  step  in  for 
further  hearing.  Mr.  Porter  told  me  that  his  syndi- 
cate was  very  anxious  to  have  the  place,  and  that 
they  would  willingly  pay  me  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars;  whereupon  I  answered  him  that  in  consid- 
eration of  this  two  hundred  thousand  dollars  would 
be  the  right  figure,  and  my  offer  was  accepted. 

Up  to  this  time  I  had  fully  accomplished  my  pur- 
pose of  making  a  lot  of  money  out  of  the  pianoforte 
business  and  the  people  who  bought  that  instrument, 
and  while  I  thought  that  I  had  done  nobly  so  far  as 
I  was  concerned,  I  felt  somewhat  inclined  to  doubt 
whether  the  people  who  bought  the  pianos  and  paid 
me  good  profits  had  received  the  full  value  which 
they  honestly  bargained  for.  When  I  considered 
the  musical  deficiency  of  the  piano  in  comparison  to 
its  prototypes,  such  as  the  clavichord,  harpsichord, 
and  very  early  hammer  clavier,  and  the  claims  made 
by  the  Barons  as  to  its  value,  I  concluded  that  "some- 
thing was  wrong  in  Denmark."  I  well  remembered 
the  sweet  and  soft  tones  of  the  clavichord  that  once 
upon  a  time  belonged  to  my  teacher,  the  old  cantor 
of  Scheinfeld,  and  which  after  his  death  had  come 


190  Reminiscences 

into  my  possession.  I  also  recalled  a  harpsichord 
that  stood  silent  in  the  little  cell  of  my  good  and 
noble  instructor,  Padre  Quartian;  while  ever  and 
anon,  I  heard  the  silvery  tones  of  an  early  hammer 
clavier  that  rested  in  the  sacristy  of  the  old  monas- 
tery at  Schwarzenberg.  While  these  old  friends 
did  not  speak  in  brazen  tones,  while  they  lacked  the 
clash  and  noise  that  is  found  in  the  domicile  of  the 
baronial  instrument,  they  were  subject  to  the  sym- 
pathetic touch  of  the  player  and  responded  to  the 
poetical  emotions,  to  grief  and  sorrow,  to  joy  and 
gladness, — in  fact,  they  were  capable  of  expressing 
the  very  sentiments  that  are  inherent  and  find  their 
resting-place  in  the  heart  of  the  sufferer  and  those 
who  enjoy  the  noble  influences  given  us  so  freely. 
I  therefore  resolved  to  find  again  my  old  clavichord 
— that  quaint  little  instrument  with  its  silent  tones, 
its  mysterious  whisperings,  its  intimate  and  soulful 
response  always  evoked  from  it  by  the  fingers  of  the 
tone  poet. 


O   -^ 

Q    -c 


CHAPTER  X 

Return  to  Scheinfeld — Collecting  Old  Instruments — Death-Violin — 
First  Lecture  Tour  in  America 

IT  was  after  an  absence  of  almost  forty  years  that 
I  took  passage  on  a  steamer  for  Bremen,  accom- 
panied by  my  wife  and  daughter  Mollie, — partly  to 
avail  myself  of  medical  advice  for  Mrs.  Steinert, 
who  was  stricken  with  the  primary  symptoms  of 
paralysis  agitans,  and  partly  to  again  visit  Schein- 
feld and  find  my  beloved  clavichord. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  upon  the  vicissitudes  of 
the  journey  occasioned  by  my  wife's  health,  and  after 
consulting  several  of  the  most  eminent  physicians  in 
France  and  Germany,  I  left  my  family  in  Heidelberg 
under  the  care  of  Professor  Erb  and  started  for 
Scheinfeld. 

As  I  approached  the  little  village  the  scenery  ap- 
peared to  me  like  an  old  friend, — on  one  side  the 
little  clump  of  woods,  fragrant  with  the  odor  of  the 
pine,  on  the  other  a  rye-field  dotted  here  and  there 
with  blue  corn-flowers  which  courtesied  to  me  as  I 
passed ;  here  a  cross-road  with  the  image  of  the 
Holy  Virgin  holding  her  child  in  her  arms,  and  be- 
fore me  in  the  distance  the  church  spire,  white  and 
solitary  amid  the  leafy  green  trees. 

191 


192  Reminiscences 

As  I  entered  the  hamlet  the  church  clock  struck 
twelve,  and  the  reapers,  ready  for  their  midday 
meal,  came  trooping  in  from  the  meadows,  their 
scythes  on  their  shoulders,  the  women  bearing  on 
their  broad  backs  baskets  heaped  high  with  fresh-cut 
grass. 

My  arrival  created  a  sensation,  for  a  carriage  with 
a  gentleman  in  it  was  an  unusual  sight,  and  I  could 
see  by  the  faces  of  the  townfolk  as  we  drove  past 
that  they  were  curious  to  find  out  who  I  was  and 
what  I  was  doing  in  Scheinfeld.  I  approached  the 
inn,  "  Zum  Ross,"  and  there  got  out.  The  honest 
wife  of  the  innkeeper  was  no  less  curious  than  the 
rest  of  the  villagers,  and  she  courtesied  as  she  greeted 
me  with  the  words,  "  Griiss  Gott,"  and  assisted  me 
with  my  luggage.  But  she  was  quick-witted,  I  as- 
sure you,  for  no  sooner  was  my  back  turned  than 
she  questioned  the  driver,  and  learning  that  I  was 
an  American  traveller  named  Steinert,  she  ran  to 
me  holding  out  both  hands,  crying  out  in  her  joy: 
' '  Heilige  Maria,  Mutter  Gottes,  da  ist  ja  der  Herr 
Steinert !  Where  do  you  come  from  ?  We  have 
expected  you  for  a  long  time.  The  whole  village 
waits  for  you,  and  if  I  had  known  it  before,  I  would 
have  killed  a  little  gosling  and  roasted  for  you  the 
partridge  which  my  good  man  shot  but  this  morn- 
ing. Ach  Gott !  I  am  so  happy.  Babetta ! 
Babetta!  Go  bring  a  tankard  of  beer  for  Herr 
Steinert."  This  was  my  welcome  home. 

I  entered  the  "  Ross."  Everything  was  just  as 
it  was  fifty  years  ago  when  as  a  boy  I  used  to  get 
beer  for  the  folks  at  home:  the  old  stove  in  the 
middle  of  the  room,  the  same  wooden  benches  nailed 


M.  Steinert  Collection  193 

along  the  wall,  the  tables  with  their  claw-like  legs, 
the  small  windows, — even  the  white  sand  upon  the 
floor  had  not  given  way  to  a  carpet.  To  the  door  I 
ran,  and  looking  behind  it  I  saw  the  old  cracked 
slate  with  the  little  piece  of  chalk  suspended  by  a 
bit  of  string,  and  still  serving  as  a  ledger  for  the 
nightly  gatherings.  In  fact,  the  little  hamlet  was 
exactly  the  same  as  when  I  left,  with  the  exception 
that  two  or  three  new  houses  had  been  built. 

If  the  place  had  changed  so  little,  I  could  not  say 
the  same  of  its  impression  upon  me,  for  as  I  walked 
down  the  street,  which  to  my  boyish  eyes  had  ap- 
peared so  broad  and  long,  and  looked  at  the  houses 
which  I  had  always  thought  extremely  large  and 
commodious,  I  rubbed  my  eyes  to  see  if  I  were  really 
awake,  for  everything  had  become  so  small, — the 
streets  so  narrow,  so  primitive.  I  looked  around 
for  the  people  that  used  to  swarm  its  streets,  then  at 
the  church,  whose  spire,  I  remembered,  had  seemed 
lost  in  the  clouds.  Alas!  I  had  just  come  from 
Cologne  and  the  Dom,  and  the  quaint  white  build- 
ing with  the  cross  had  shrivelled  up  and  the  steeple 
dwindled  down  to  almost  a  toy  one.  My  school- 
mates, formerly  giants  in  strength,  alone  seemed 
unchanged.  True,  they  had  grown  old,  and  their 
eyes  did  not  sparkle  with  the  fire  of  youth,  and 
their  fresh,  young  faces  were  seamed  and  wrinkled, 
but  their  laugh  was  as  hearty,  their  heart  as  young, 
and  their  enjoyment  of  life  even  keener  than  when 
I  left  them  thirty-three  years  before.  The  grand- 
children of  the  pretty  maidens  I  used  to  play  with 
in  the  goose  meadow,  and  for  whom  I  wound 
wreaths  in  the  spring  of  their  youth  and  beauty, 

'3 


194  Reminiscences 

now  brought  me  fresh  nosegays  from  the  dale  and 
twined  garlands  for  me  as  their  grandmothers  had 
done  in  the  sweet  past.  Oh,  it  was  all  so  beautiful ! 
Home,  sweet  home !  from  whose  idyllic  quiet  I  have 
been  too  long  absent.  Thou  art  still  the  little 
modest  village,  safe  in  thy  isolation  from  the  pro- 
gress of  the  world.  In  thy  arms  I  again  find  all 
that  is  sweet  and  beautiful.  In  thy  holy  rest,  long- 
forgotten  memories  are  awakened  and  live  again. 

When  I  retired  that  evening  the  pictures  of  the 
day  reappeared  before  my  eyes,  and  I  know  they 
will  never  again  forsake  me  as  long  as  memory  lasts. 
As  I  lay  awake  and  went  over  the  events  of  my  life, 
I  realized  that  every  one  is  the  bearer  of  his  luck  or 
his  ill-luck,  that  each  man  through  his  brain  and  his 
will  can  create  a  world,  and  that  he  has  it  in  his 
power  to  make  life  a  happy  one.  As  I  meditated, 
a  voice  was  borne  to  me  from  out  the  still  night,  and 
I  could  make  out  the  words: 

"  Hort  Ihr  Leut  und  last  euch  sagen 
Die  Uhr  hat  Zehn  geschlagen 
Bewart  das  Feuer  und  das  Licht 
Das  euch  kein  Ungliick  g'schlicht 
Gelobt  sei  Jesus  Christus." 

It  was  the  old  night-watch,  and  springing  from  my 
bed  I  ran  to  the  window,  threw  open  the  lattice. 
As  his  horn  echoed  three  times  from  the  hill  of 
Schwarzenberg,  and,  chanting  his  little  rhyme,  he 
passed  on  down  the  street,  I  stood  lost  in  the  flood 
of  sweet  memories,  and  that  night  in  the  little 
"  Ross  "  I  was  again  the  happy  Scheinfeld  boy  in 
the  home  of  my  sainted  mother. 


M.  Steinert  Collection  195 

After  a  few  days  in  my  native  town,  I  began  the 
search  for  my  clavichord,  which,  according  to  in- 
formation received  from  my  brother  Louis,  then 
residing  in  Coblenz,  had  been  left  in  Scheinfeld,  as 
it  was  so  old  and  dilapidated  that  he  considered  it  a 
useless  piece  of  furniture ;  he  also  stated  that  he  had 
no  record  of  it.  I  was  not  daunted,  however,  and 
after  a  day's  search  I  succeeded  in  tracing  it  to  the 
tower  abode  of  old  Dazian,  who  must  have  taken  it 
after  my  brother  left.  I  was  told  that  Dazian  had 
died  many  years  before,  that  his  successor,  his 
brother  Joseph,  had  also  passed  beyond,  and  that 
Herr  Bayer  now  held  the  position  of  Stadt  Musikus. 
Going  to  the  tower,  I  mounted  the  steep,  winding 
stairs  to  the  living-rooms,  in  search  of  Herr  Bayer. 
Very  much  out  of  breath,  I  knocked  at  the  door 
and  inquired  of  the  pleasant-faced  elderly  woman 
who  opened  it  for  the  Herr  Stadt  Musikus,  and  was 
told  by  her  that  he  was  in  the  field  hoeing  potatoes. 
Descending,  I  hastened  to  him,  and  recognized  him 
as  the  flute-player  of  old  Dazian's  band.  He  was 
now  a  man  of  seventy-five  years,  aged  and  bent. 
We  exchanged  greetings,  for  he  well  remembered 
-me  as  the  boy  taught  by  his  uncle,  and  he  also  knew 
that  I  now  lived  in  America.  Herr  Bayer  had  be- 
fore him  a  large  basket  which  was  full  of  potatoes, 
and  which,  by  my  help,  he  strapped  upon  his 
back,  and  together  we  started  for  his  tower  home. 
Upon  asking  him  about  my  old  clavichord,  he  told 
me  that  his  uncle  had  an  old  clavichord  which  must 
have  belonged  to  the  Steinert  family,  that  he 
had  kept  it  for  many  years,  using  it  to  compose 
and  arrange  music,  and  that  it  was  in  the  old 


196  Reminiscences 

tower.  Again  I  mounted  the  steep  stairs,  the  old 
musician  in  advance  with  his  potatoes  on  his  back, 
and  entering  the  principal  living-room  saw  the  old 
clavichord  standing  in  one  corner.  With  my  heart 
full  of  joy  I  purchased  the  instrument,  and,  what  is 
more,  the  violoncello  upon  which  I  took  my  first 
lesson,  half  a  dozen  violins,  and  several  violas,  all 
instruments  which  belonged  to  and  were  loved  by 
my  old  instructor,  Dazian. 

I  was  deeply  interested  in  collecting  old  instru- 
ments that  were  used  in  the  past,  and  that  must 
have  served  the  great  composers  of  the  seven- 
teenth, eighteenth,  and  early  part  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  and  I  based  my  work  upon  a  closer  in- 
vestigation than  the  accepted  view  of  our  mod- 
ern musicians,  who  think  that  the  compositions 
of  these  classical  tone  poets  sound  better  when 
played  upon  the  present  pianoforte.  With  this 
opinion  I  could  not  agree,  and  I  ascribed  their 
wrong  views  on  the  subject  to  their  ignorance  and 
unacquaintance  with  the  instruments  I  speak  of,  and 
though  the  modern  musician  uses  the  pianoforte  un- 
questioningly  as  the  proper  tone  vehicle,  I  was  firmly 
convinced  that  the  old  instruments  were  the  right 
ones  for  a  true  interpretation  of  the  old  masters,  and 
that  the  pianoforte  was  not  adapted  to  the  poly- 
phony of  that  time.  I  was,  however,  well  aware  of 
their  limitations  in  tonal  power,  and  that  for  this  rea- 
son they  were  not  consistent  with  the  requirements 
of  the  modern  age.  I  was  not  looking  for  develop- 
ments, but  for  the  germs  of  the  instrument  that  gave 
expression  to  the  musical  effusions  of  the  old  mas- 
ters, and  that  with  inexpressible  sweetness,  elasticity 


M.  Steinert  Collection  197 

of  touch,  indescribable  color,  contained  sufficient 
power  to  demonstrate  to  the  music  lover  and  enthu- 
siast the  spirituality  that  lay  inherent  in  Bach, 
Handel,  Scarlatti,  and  even  Haydn  and  Mozart. 

In  the  soft  and  sweet-toned  clavichord  I  recog- 
nized a  germ  of  tremendous  power,  a  germ  which, 
if  properly  developed  and  brought  out,  would  give 
to  the  world  an  instrument  that  would  cover,  not 
only  the  requirements  of  the  past,  but  the  demands 
of  the  present  as  well.  This  was  one  of  my  thoughts 
when  I  began  my  investigation  upon  the  quaint  and 
dilapidated  clavichord  in  the  small,  dark,  and  un- 
friendly room  of  the  Stadt  Musikus  in  far-away 
Scheinfeld,  and  which  thought  had  haunted  me  for 
many  years,  and  has  occupied  my  waking  moments 
ever  since.  It  was  an  idea  that  found  its  cradle  in 
the  movement  of  the  bow  held  in  the  hand  of  a 
player,  rubbing  a  string,  and  which  in  its  rude  tech- 
nique refines  and  produces  vibrations  which  are 
capable  of  moving  the  human  heart  in  all  its 
changeable  moods.  I  also  remembered  the  magical 
tones  of  the  French  horn,  its  subdued  and  muted 
color,  differing  so  greatly  from  those  sounds  that 
underlie  another  tone-production  such  as  is  found 
in  the  reed  instruments,  the  clarionet  and  the 
oboe,  and  while  all  are  subject  to  their  construc- 
tive nature,  they  are  endowed  with  characteristics 
of  their  own  which  give  color  and  expression 
to  a  living  tone.  I  was  also  aware  that  the 
pianoforte  was  incapable  of  doing  this,  being  color- 
less and  inexpressive,  and  I  wanted  to  alleviate  the 
condition  of  the  pianoforte,  to  lift  it  out  of  its  cold 
and  unsympathetic  state,  and  to  transform  it  also 


198  Reminiscences 

into  an  instrument  full  of  warmth  and  poetic  dainti- 
ness. I  knew  that  time  had  supplied  it  with  a 
robust  nature,  that  it  revelled  in  its  manly  strength, 
that  it  had  great  boldness  and  courage  stored  away 
in  its  body ;  in  short,  that  it  was  essentially  mascu- 
line in  its  defiance  to  nature's  elements;  that  it 
lacked  femininity,  tenderness,  and  sympathy;  that 
it  did  not  possess  the  soft  and  soul-inspiring  ele- 
ments that  come  from  another  world  than  the  one 
to  which  it  belonged. 

To  get  at  the  root  of  the  evil,  I  wanted  to  enter 
into  the  state  of  a  keyed  instrument  of  the  fore- 
going ages,  to  see  the  instrument  as  it  came  from 
the  hands  of  one  who  was  not  a  skilled  artisan,  but 
rather  a  musician  who  built  his  own  instrument  in 
requirement  to  his  needs,  as  did  old  Bach.  I 
therefore  looked  for  such  as  were  constructed  by 
cabinet-makers,  by  watchmakers,  by  geniuses  of  all 
trades,  so  that  I  might  have  a  kaleidoscopic  picture 
of  what  the  human  mind  conceives  in  one  direction. 
I  wanted  to  throw  myself  into  their  very  midst,  to 
stand  upon  the  same  stage  with  them,  but  with  the 
object  of  serving  the  modern  age. 

For  this  I  needed  many  instruments,  and  as 
Scheinfeld  was  so  happily  located  as  to  its  geo- 
graphical position  as  well  as  its  historical  and  re- 
ligious state,  I  did  not  miscalculate  in  finding  the 
very  spot  which  would  unfold  before  my  eyes  hidden 
treasures  of  great  value  in  my  researches,  —  geo- 
graphically, because  Scheinfeld  and  its  surrounding 
country  is  situa.ted  away  from  large  cities,  in  a  sec- 
tion where  the  spirit  of  time  has  as  yet  made  no  in- 
roads ;  historically  and  religiously,  because  it  is  rich 


M.  Steinert  Collection  199 

in  the  possession  of  numberless  monasteries  and 
convents  of  a  time  when  the  priesthood  had  full 
sway  over  the  civil  powers  and  destinies  of  its  citi- 
zens ;  for  the  priests  were  the  rulers,  and  these 
priestly  princes  fostered  the  fine  arts,  cultivating 
music,  especially,  in  their  lonely  cells,  for  art  then 
rested  in  the  bosom  of  the  Church,  and  such  an  instru- 
ment as  the  clavichord  must  have  been  akin  to  their 
spiritual  nature.  I  also  knew  that  about  a  hundred 
years  ago  a  new  spirit  of  freedom  had  come  over 
the  people  living  in  that  country,  and  that  saintly 
men  and  women  were  obliged  to  fly  from  the  per- 
secutions of  the  promoters  of  the  new  regime,  and 
that  in  their  flight  they  had  left  behind  the  very 
treasures  that  gave  them  such  solace  and  endeared 
them  so  greatly  to  the  people.  These  treasures 
were  either  confiscated  or  came  into  the  possession 
of  the  common  people,  principally  the  peasantry, 
and  they,  having  passed  away,  their  descendants  had 
lost  sight  of  them,  especially  when  they  were  stored 
away  in  such  places  as  were  never  frequented  by 
the  family. 

With  the  possession  of  such  knowledge  I  began 
my  search  for  old  instruments,  and  I  am  happy  to 
say  that  I  found  all  I  wanted.  I  found  them  hid- 
den away  under  the  eaves  of  many  an  old  house,  in 
the  debris  of  a  barn  or  cow-shed,  often  in  the  dove- 
cotes, and  many  treasures  were  unearthed  from  the 
damp  cellar  where  for  years  they  had  rested  in  a 
thick  coat  of  mould.  As  the  owners  were  unaware 
of  such  treasures,  the  difficulty  on  my  part  was  in 
convincing  them  that  old  instruments  were  really 
somewhere  on  the  premises,  and  as  they  were  bound 


200  Reminiscences 

to  deny  such  ownership,  I  was  equally  bound  to 
strengthen  my  assertion  by  a  search  for  them,  for 
which  permission  was  reluctantly  granted  me  after 
such  inducements  as  the  offer  of  a  glass  of  beer  or  a 
cigar,  and  I  was  allowed  to  take  a  candle  and  accom- 
pany them  all  over  the  place.  I  usually  found  one 
and  sometimes  two  to  add  to  my  collection, — and 
the  price,  I  assure  you,  differed  greatly  from  that 
demanded  for  baronial  productions. 

I  must  herein  state  that  these  instruments  were 
totally  unfit  for  use,  that  they  were  broken  in  body 
but  rich  in  soul,  though  they  no  longer  had  strings. 
The  fascination  connected  with  my  hunt  for  old 
clavichords,  harpsichords,  and  hammer  claviers, 
cannot  be  described  in  its  quaintness  and  romantic 
interest,  or  in  its  humorous  side,  for  many  a  rare  old 
spinet  or  clavichord,  as  I  play  upon  it  to-day,  seems 
to  have  become  imbued  with  the  humorous  episode 
connected  with  its  final  acceptance  of  my  heart  and 
home. 

One  morning  when,  with  the  exception  of  the 
feathered  songsters,  everything  appeared  wrapped 
in  silence,  I  walked  down  through  the  meadow, 
blue  with  waving  corn-flowers,  and  stopped  to  watch 
the  villagers  at  work  close  by,  their  faces  beaming 
with  content  as  they  swung  their  scythes  and  talked. 
My  heart  was  stirred  by  the  peaceful  scene  spread 
out  before  me,  and  when  I  walked  across  the  bridge 
which  spans  the  rippling  brook,  and  which  is  the 
dividing  line  between  the  villages  of  Scheinfeld  and 
Schnodsenbach,  and  reached  the  latter  and  looked 
upon  the  mediaeval  houses,  I  felt  that  the  rural 
landscape  was  complete. 


.      . 

<;     u   o    *    i     A 


SPINET.     THREE    AND    THREE    QUARTER    OCTAVES. 
Made  by  Andreas  Ruckers,  1620. 


M.  Steinert  Collection  201 

It  was  noon,  and  I  heard  the  melodious  tones  of 
the  mid-day  bell.  All  else  was  silent,  and  yet — 
what  tones  are  wafted  to  my  ear  ?  Musical  sounds  ? 
Yes,  surely,  and  amazed  I  quickened  my  steps  and 
approached  the  little  hut  from  which  the  sounds 
seemed  to  come,  and  as  I  drew  near  I  recognized 
the  magical  tones  of  the  violin,  though  the  player 
fell  far  short  of  being  a  virtuoso,  and  his  repertoire 
was  not  made  up  of  classical  music,  but  the  simple 
soulful  folk-songs. 

Was  it  in  consequence  of  my  own  mood,  or  of  that 
of  the  performer,  that  I  noticed  a  strange  ring  in  the 
tone  ?  The  violin  resounded  in  such  tender  strains, 
breathed  in  its  notes  such  pain  and  unfulfilled  long- 
ing, that  I  involuntarily  stepped  into  the  living-room 
of  the  cottage.  The  player  was  seated  upon  a  rude 
wooden  bench,  his  wife  beside  him,  while  two  chil- 
dren played  upon  the  floor.  As  I  entered  he  put 
down  his  violin,  and  in  an  embarrassed  manner  rose 
and  bade  me  welcome.  I  offered  him  my  hand,  spoke 
to  him,  and  after  a  moment  we  were  talking  quite 
familiarly.  He  told  me  that  he  was  a  wagon-wright, 
and  that  the  little  house  served  as  his  workshop  and 
dwelling.  Poverty  looked  out  from  every  corner, 
and  there  was  an  absence  of  such  furniture  as  is 
deemed  necessary  by  even  the  poorer  classes,  and  yet 
he  had  been  playing  upon  a  violin  worthy  to  grace  a 
royal  palace.  What  a  contrast !  The  violin,  like  the 
hut,  was  the  very  picture  of  poverty,  for  its  once 
shapely  neck  was  bent  and  it  was  in  a  nude  condition, 
its  rich  dress  of  varnish  having  entirely  disappeared, 
though  it  still  bore  traces  of  its  former  noble  beauty. 
Was  this  perhaps  the  reason  why  it  had  sung  its 


202  Reminiscences 

song  in  so  feeble  and  plaintive  a  tone,  or  had  it  but 
indulged  in  memories  of  its  youth,  when,  fresh  and 
young  and  exquisitely  beautiful,  it  had  emerged 
from  the  hands  of  its  creator,  when  its  raiment 
shone  with  bright  color  and  the  sunlight  delighted 
to  kiss  it  and  to  mirror  itself  in  its  entrancing  love- 
liness ?  ,  Was  it,  perchance,  revelling  in  the  memory 
of  the  clasp  of  the  artist  and  his  glance  of  fond  love 
and  admiration  as  he  stroked  its  exquisite  neck  and 
its  Medusa-like  head  ?  Many  years  have  elapsed 
since  that  day,  was  my  thought,  as  I  questioned  its 
owner  as  to  whence  it  had  come  into  his  possession. 
"  The  violin,"  said  he,  "  is  a  legacy  from  my  father, 
who,  in  his  day,  played  dances  upon  it  for  the  vil- 
lage youths  and  maidens.  Yet,"  and  he  thought- 
fully rubbed  his  brow,  "  there  is  another  history 
connected  with  the  instrument  that  goes  back  to  the 
time  when  my  grandfather  owned  it,  for  he,  like  my 
father,  played  the  violin.  I  can  tell  you  the  story, 
if  you  care  to  listen  ?  "  and  he  looked  at  me  ques- 
tioningly.  "  By  all  means,"  I  replied,  rousing  my- 
self from  my  revery,  for  I  was  lost  in  the  memo- 
ries of  the  past.  After  a  slight  pause  he  continued : 
"  Many  years  ago  when  the  enemy  with  flaming 
sword  laid  bare  this  peaceful  country  and  when  it 
fell  into  the  hands  of  its  oppressors,  there  came 
here  with  the  other  hostile  soldiers  one  who  became 
dangerously  ill'in  consequence  of  the  hardships  of 
the  campaign  just  ended.  He  had  dragged  his 
weary  limbs  to  our  village,  hoping  to  find  shelter, 
but  he  was  an  enemy,  and  it  was  everywhere  denied 
him.  After  being  turned  away  from  every  door,  sick 
and  helpless,  he  sank  down  before  my  grandfather's 


M.  Steinert  Collection  203 

gate,  overcome  by  his  exertions.  Here  my  grand- 
father found  him,  his  head  pillowed  upon  his 
knapsack.  He  was  moaning  piteously  and  calling 
for  water,  for  his  lips  were  parched  with  fever,  and 
grandfather,  going  to  the  spring,  filled  a  cup  and, 
bringing  it  to  the  dying  man,  lifted  his  head  and  gave 
him  a  drink.  Then,  moved  to  pity  by  his  suffering, 
he  took  him  into  the  house  and  cared  for  him  until 
he  breathed  his  last. 

"  A  few  hours  before  his  death  he  asked  for  his 
knapsack,  and  grandfather  brought  it  to  him. 
'  Open  it,'  he  said,  '  and  you  will  find  my  violin, 
which  you  will  please  give  me ;  I  want  to  speak  to 
it  once  again  before  I  die.'  Grandfather  opened 
the  knapsack,  and  taking  out  the  violin  handed  it  to 
him.  The  dying  soldier  seized  it  eagerly,  and  press- 
ing it  again  and  again  to  his  lips,  wept  like  a  child, 
then  with  a  last  fond  kiss  he  handed  it  to  my  grand- 
father, saying :  '  Please  accept  this  violin  as  a  proof 
of  my  gratitude  to  an  enemy.  It  has  been  my 
faithful  and  devoted  companion  ever  since  I  was  a 
boy  and  learned  to  express  the  language  of  art 
through  its  voice,  for  I  have  devoted  many  days  and 
long  sleepless  nights  to  gain  the  power  of  calling 
forth  from  its  heart  the  slumbering  strains  of  truth 
and  love.  It  has  been  my  comfort  and  consolation 
in  all  my  sorrows,  and  with  its  lovely  song  I,  too, 
have  often  soared  to  another  world.  With  its  melo- 
dies I  have  entranced  the  great  and  mighty  dwellers 
in  princely  halls,  and  beauteous  dames  of  haughty 
demeanor  have  bowed  their  noble  heads  to  the 
music  of  its  voice,  and  wafted  it  greetings  and 
kisses.  I  possessed  the  gift  of  stirring  my  listeners 


204  Reminiscences 

to  mirth  as  well  as  woe,  and  my  name  once  re- 
sounded through  all  lands  on  account  of  the  violin's 
ravishing  power;  you  may,  perchance,  have  heard 
my  name  spoken,  it  was — but  what  matters  now?  it 
is  already  enrolled  in  God's  book,  and  you  would 
not  know  or  remember  it  if  you  heard  it.  One  day 
all  was  changed,  for  the  trumpet  of  war  rang  out 
throughout  the  land,  calling  men  to  fight  for  their 
homes.  Taking  my  violin  I  left  home,  parents, 
sweetheart,  to  offer  up  my  young  life  here  in  a 
hostile  land.  Upon  the  bloody  battlefield  my  violin 
was  my  consolation.'  Saying  this,  he  again  took 
the  violin  and,  with  trembling  fingers,  passed  the  bow 
over  the  strings,  calling  out  tones  of  sadness  and 
pain.  Sadder  and  sadder  grew  the  strains,  until  but 
a  tender  breath,  like  an  angel's  whisper,  floated  out 
upon  the  air,  and  with  this  last  sigh  the  violin  fell 
from  the  grasp  of  the  beatified  soldier,  and  he  sank 
back,  dead!  It  was  the  violin's  '  swan  song,'  as  it 
remained  untouched  for  many  years,  my  grandfather 
declaring  its  tones  too  gloomy  for  the  dance,  and  he 
called  it  the  death-violin.  But  once  it  was  played 
by  our  old  schoolmaster  during  a  solemn  requiem 
mass  at  church,  and  never  have  the  strains  of  the 
'Agnus  Dei '  been  heard  more  tenderly  uttered  than 
upon  this  occasion." 

I  was  wonderfully  moved  by  this  narrative.  I 
felt  myself  stirred  with  a  strong  desire  to  possess 
this  violin,  but  scarcely  found  courage  to  express 
my  desire.  At  length  I  recalled  the  poverty, 
the  lack  of  many  comforts  which  the  price  of  the 
violin  would  bring  to  the  peasant  and  his  family, 
and  I  said,  "  Would  you  feel  willing  to  part  with 


M.  Steinert  Collection  205 

this  old  violin  ?  "  After  a  moment's  hesitation,  he 
replied,  "  I  have  for  a  long  time  intended  getting 
it  restored,  but  have  never  had  the  money,  and  I 
should  be  willing  to  let  you  have  it  could  I  be  cer- 
tain that  a  better  fate  awaits  it  in  your  hands." 
And  then,  as  it  was  an  easy  matter  for  me  to  arrive 
at  an  understanding  with  its  owner,  the  violin  soon 
passed  into  my  hands. 

Once  in  America,  it  soon  resumed  its  pristine 
splendor,  its  feeble  body  was  invigorated,  all  the  ills 
it  had  acquired  during  its  long  years  of  exile  were 
cured,  and  again  its  face  beams  with  the  roseate 
color  of  health,  and  from  its  head  all  the  lines  of 
sorrow  have  vanished.  It  put  away  its  mourning 
weeds,  and  it  laughs  and  lives  again.  No  longer 
does  it  play  for  the  dances  of  the  village  youths  and 
maidens,  but,  admired  by  disciples  of  the  divine  art, 
prized  and  beloved  and  borne  on  the  wings  of  song, 
its  tones  now  resound  in  the  temples  of  art,  and  give 
utterance  to  the  creations  of  master-souls.  Who  can 
fathom  its  heart-throbs  when  the  inspired  artist 
presses  its  form  to  his  heart,  and  what  fate  awaits 
it  when  another  century  shall  have  passed! 

My  peculiar  methods  of  hunting  up  these  old  traps, 
and  the  extraordinary  energy  I  was  obliged  to  exer- 
cise in  their  final  discovery,  and  all  of  the  other  tech- 
nicalities that  finally  brought  these  musical  antiques 
into  my  possession,  created  much  wonderment  and 
great  surprise  among  the  aristocracy  of  Scheinfeld, 
and  those  of  the  powers  that  be  who  have  some  tint 
of  preferred  respectability.  These  gentry,  while 
they  have  some  pursuit  in  life  which  gives  them  such 
nourishment  as  is  equally  good  for  the  goose  and  the 


206  Reminiscences 

gander,  have  no  incumbrance  resting  upon  their 
minds  which  is  created  by  the  almighty  dollar. 
They  know  their  places  and  understand  the  dividing 
line  that  is  drawn  in  the  beer-stube  of  "  Das  Weisse 
Ross, "  where  they  assemble  every  evening  for  the 
very  democratic  custom  of  drinking  beer,  gossiping, 
and  smoking  their  long  pipes,  undisturbed  by  family 
cares.  It  is  therefore  proper  for  me  to  state  that 
the  beer-stube  at  the  grand  hotel  of  "  Das  Weisse 
Ross "  is  divided  into  two  sections,  the  inner 
room  reserved  for  the-  preferred  stock,  while  the 
outer  one  belongs  to  the  rank  and  file  exclusively. 
I  must  also  say  that  I  secured  the  services  of  a 
teamster  who,  with  his  lumbering  wagon  and  docile 
pair  of  horses,  served  me  as  a  means  of  locomotion 
to  the  little  hamlets  and  farmhouses  which  cluster 
around  Scheinfeld,  and  which  have  served  as  the 
abode  of  the  art  treasures  of  a  past  age. 

This  man,  aside  from  his  horses  and  wagon,  also 
furnished  me  with  intelligent  information  which 
opened  the  doors  of  the  houses  containing  these 
hidden  gems  which  appealed  so  strongly  to  my 
curiosity,  and  served  me  in  my  investigations.  His 
name  is  Schlafhauser.  Like  myself,  he  is  an  off- 
spring of  Scheinfeld,  as  were  his  father,  his  grand- 
father,— and  even  the  horses, — and  all  those  who 
have  a  drop  of  Schlafhauser  blood  in  their  veins; 
and  as  for  his  patriotism  and  love  for  his  beloved 
birthplace,  I  think  that,  without  doing  him  an  in- 
justice, I  can  truthfully  say  that  he  has  never 
stepped  out  of  the  district  since  his  natal  day.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  Schlafhauser  knew  one  thing,  and 
that  was  every  village,  every  inhabitant,  and  every 


M.  Steinert  Collection  207 

Wirthshaus  within  a  radius  of  twenty  miles,  and 
that  is  certainly  saying  a  good  deal  for  Schlaf- 
hauser;  and  while  he  loved  his  birthplace  to  distrac- 
tion he  showed  an  equal  affection  for  his  horses,  as 
far  as  their  treatment  was  concerned  and  the  work 
he  exacted  from  them. 

Every  morning  at  seven  o'clock  he  stood  with  his 
team  in  front  of  "  Das  Weisse  Ross,"  ready  to  start 
for  the  country.  The  soft  breezes  from  the  castle 
of  Schwarzenberg  were  mingled  with  the  sacredness 
of  the  winds  which  were  wafted  over  our  heads  from 
the  monastery,  and  when  we  listened  to  the  solemn 
and  religious  tones  of  the  old  organ  which  were  borne 
to  us  from  the  village  church,  when  the  three  bells, 
which  differed  in  pitch,  gave  with  their  metallic 
voices  the  signal  for  the  devout  to  assemble  for  early 
mass,  and  we  heard  the  tiny  tinkling  bell  of  the 
sacristan  intoning  the  solemn  response  of  the 
"  Agnus  Dei,"  Schlafhauser  reverently  crossed 
himself  in  sympathy  with  the  momentary  service — 
while  he  looked  dolefully  at  his  horses.  I  am  afraid 
that  I  was  not  as  much  interested  in  the  service  as 
my  driver,  but -what  I  lacked  in  religious  fervor  I 
made  up  for  in  anticipation  and  hope  for  a  good 
day's  clavier  hunt.  Schlafhauser's  devotions  over, 
he  mounted  the  wagon,  and  with  a  crack  of  the 
whip  we  started  down  the  village  street  towards  the 
neighboring  country. 

While  I  was  meditating  upon  the  slow  gait  of  the 
horses,  and  not  aware  that  my  driver  meant  to  in- 
terrupt my  train  of  thought  so  soon,  for  we  had  been 
on  the  road  scarcely  half  an  hour,his  intelligent  beasts 
pulled  up  in  front  of  a  Wirthshaus  in  a  little  hamlet, 


208  Reminiscences 

obediently  halted  before  the  customary  manger,  and 
stuck  their  noses  right  down  into  it  as  if  expecting 
to  find  something  to  eat.  Schlafhauser  jumped 
down  from  his  seat,  and  without  a  word  took  out  a 
bag  of  oats,  which  he  emptied  into  the  manger. 
Then  as  a  bit  of  dessert  he  drew  out  a  large  loaf  of 
bread,  and  with  his  knife  cut  it  into  small  pieces  and 
mixed  it  with  the  oats  and  salt.  The  sympathy  of 
Schlafhauser  for  his  horses  greatly  impressed  me, 
and  I  remained  in  silent  meditation  upon  my  seat, 
which  performance  must  have  been  a  surprise  to 
Schlafhauser,  for  he  immediately  accosted  me,  say- 
ing: "  Don't  you  want  to  get  down  from  the  wagon, 
Herr  Steinert,  and  refresh  yourself  with  a  glass  of 
wine  or  beer  ?  You  look  tired  after  your  long 
ride,  and  as  it  usually  takes  my  horses  an  hour  or 
more  to  feed,  you  had  better  not  sit  out  here,  but 
come  into  the  Wirthshaus  and  have  some  beer,  for, 
I  assure  you,  it  is  the  best  beer  to  be  found  any- 
where. As  I  never  pass  this  little  inn  without 
giving  my  horses  a  rest,  and  drinking  a  few  steins 
of  beer,  I  am  confident  you  will  feel  much  bet- 
ter if  you  follow  my  example."  The  inducements 
were  so  gracefully  offered  that  I  have  never  thought 
Schlafhauser  on  the  wrong  track,  for  the  opportun- 
ity of  being  in  the  Wirthshaus,  and  the  great  curios- 
ity and  inquisitiveness  of  the  Wirth  soon  paved  the 
way  for  Schlafhauser  to  make  known  our  business, 
and  in  response  we  received  such  information  as  we 
were  looking  for,  and  which  was  of  great  value  to  us 
in  our  search. 

After  spending  a  few  hours  successfully  or  other- 
wise,  we  drove   for   another   half-hour,  and  upon 


M.  Steinert  Collection  209 

reaching  the  next  village  the  horses  showed  the  same 
sagacity  in  finding  their  manger,and  were  quite  ready 
for  another  mouthful  of  oats,  with  bread  on  the  side. 
By  this  time  my  companion  had  me  fully  initiated 
in  his  mode  of  travel,  and  when  we  had  reached 
three,  four,  and  five  stopping  -  places  and  gone 
through  the  same  tactics,  I  understood  my  position 
as  well  as  the  horses.  There  was  much  virtue  in 
this  slow  and  peculiar  method  of  travel,  because  it 
gave  us  plenty  of  time  to  enter  the  houses  of  the 
peasants,  and  if,  by  chance,  we  skipped  the  very 
house  we  were  looking  for,  the  event  of  our  coming 
was  such  a  novel  and  unusual  one  that  the  villagers 
would  come  to  us  and  call  our  attention  to  their 
possessions.  As  evening  approached  we  returned 
to  the  metropolis  of  Scheinfeld,  entering  the  village 
as  the  sun  sank  behind  the  wooded  hill  of  Schwar- 
zenberg.  Halting  before  "  Das  Weisse  Ross"  to 
deposit  our  load  of  dilapidated  old  instruments,  we 
were  immediately  surrounded  by  young  and  old, 
and  looked  upon  with  as  much  curiosity  as  circus 
clowns,  while  upon  every  face  I  could  trace  an  ac- 
companying look  of  suspicion  which  I  delighted  to 
see. 

After  supper  when  the  aristocracy  congregated  in 
their  part  of  the  stube  at  the  "  Ross,"  and  Schlaf- 
hauser  appeared  in  the  other  room,  ready  to  repeat 
the  day's  doings  over  his  stein  of  beer,  the  gentry, 
through  the  open  door,  would  ply  him  with  ques- 
tions, which  he  was  quite  willing  to  answer,  viz., 
what  was  I  going  to  do  with  the  old  instruments  for 
which  I  had  paid  so  much  money?  expressing  some 
doubt  as  to  my  sanity  because  I  not  only  frittered 

M 


2io  Reminiscences 

away  my  time  but  my  money  as  well.  On  this 
subject  Schlafhauser  was  very  loquacious,  and  as  he 
was  materially  interested  in  my  enterprise, — for  I 
gave  him  ten  marks  a  day  for  himself  and  his  team, 
and  a  Trinkgeld,  besides  paying  for  the  oats  and 
bread  for  the  horses,  and  the  cigars,  beer,  and  food 
for  their  master, — he  was  not  at  all  slow  in  endorsing 
my  extreme  liberality,  adding,  at  the  same  time, 
that  I  was  all  right  except  when  I  found  an  old 
clavier;  then  he  had  noticed  that  I  labored  under 
great  excitement  and,  in  consequence,  paid  fabulous 
prices  for  the  traps.  In  this  statement  the  gentry 
did  n't  disagree  with  him,  though  they,  one  and  all, 
decided  that  I  was  a  sensible  fellow  in  all  other 
respects. 

Having  now  gathered  together  quite  a  number  of 
old  instruments  of  all  kinds  from  that  section  of  the 
country  around  Scheinfeld,  I  visited  other  parts  of 
Germany  in  search  of  old  clavichords,  harpsichords, 
and  early  hammer  claviers,  until  I  had  quite  a  re- 
spectable collection.  My  next  step  was  to  ship 
them  to  America,  to  study  their  peculiar  construc- 
tion, repair  them,  and  learn  how  to  play  them. 
This  was  a  great  undertaking  on  my  part,  and  it 
took  me  several  years  to  put  them  into  proper  order 
and  play  them  intelligently. 

Finally,  having  them  in  good  condition,  I  engaged 
the  services  of  Mr.  Krehbiel,  the  eminent  musical 
critic  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  a  gentleman  who 
is  profoundly  interested  in  the  study  of  the  evo- 
lution of  the  pianoforte,  and  with  him  I  began  a 
lecture  tour.  While  I  played  the  old  keyed  instru- 
ments, playing  Bach  and  the  school  which  is  in 


M.  Steinert  Collection  211 

keeping  with  their  mechanical  construction,  also  im- 
provising upon  them,  Mr.  Krehbiel  lectured,  and 
my  two  sons,  Henry  and  Albert,  assisted  me  in  ren- 
dering chamber  music  upon  the  violin  and  viola. 
These  lectures  were  given  gratuitously  at  Yale, 
Harvard,  Brown,  Smith,  Vassar,  Andover,  Professor 
Lambert's  School  of  Music  in  New  York  City, 
Springfield,  and  Music  Hall,  Boston.  I  also  secured 
Mr.  Arthur  Friedheim,  the  pianist,  who  played  upon 
the  modern  pianoforte,  in  contrast  to  the  old  school 
and  old  instruments  of  my  collection.  My  object  in 
doing  this  was:  first,  to  let  the  people  hear  not  only 
the  tone  of  the  old  instruments,  but  how  the  com- 
positions of  the  eighteenth  century  sounded  when 
played  upon  the  instruments  for  which  they  were 
originally  written ;  secondly,  to  compare  their  tone- 
coloring  with  the  instrument  called  the  pianoforte 
of  the  present  day.  I  wanted  to  know  the  taste  of 
the  people,  to  have  their  unbiassed  judgment  as  to 
the  special  tone-color  which  is  to  be  found  in  the 
old  instruments,  to  confirm  my  own  opinion,  and  to 
have  it  endorsed  by  the  public,  so  as  to  encourage 
and  assist  me  in  my  undertaking  to  construct  a 
modern  instrument  that  should  contain  the  very 
elements  of  the  old,  and  one  that  would  do  away 
with  the  present  pianoforte.  This  I  had  a  perfect 
right  to  do,  as  I  gave  my  services,  while  I  paid  all 
of  the  expenses  connected  with  the  trip. 


CHAPTER  XI 

i 

Vienna — Finding  of  Hass  Harpsichord — Purchase  of  Ruckers's  Dou- 
ble Spinet — Chicago  World's  Fair — Sharon  Springs — Lecture 
in  Springfield,  Massachusetts 

I  MUST  have  obtained  some  recognition  from  the 
public  at  large  for  my  work  in  collecting  old  in- 
struments, and  as  the  child  was  obliged  to  have  a 
name,  the  world  called  it  the  "  M.  Steinert  Collec- 
tion." About  this  time  I  received  a  letter  from  the 
Smithsonian  Institution  of  Washington,  D.  C,  re- 
questing me  to  send  them  a  part  of  my  collection  for 
exhibition  there,  which  I  most  cheerfully  did.  I  also 
received  an  invitation  from  Princess  Pauline  von 
Metternich  to  lend  my  assistance  to  the  great  Ex- 
hibition of  Music  and  Drama  to  be  held  in  Vienna 
in  1892.  After  thinking  the  matter  over,  and  real- 
izing the  opportunity  which  I  would  have  to  see  all 
of  the  great  collections  of  musical  instruments  and 
manuscripts  the  world  over,  as  well  as  the  very  early 
development  of  the  drama  and  the  stage,  the  con- 
glomeration of  everything  stored  away  in  the  public 
museums,  and  in  private  collections  of  the  civilized 
and  cultured  countries  of  Europe,  representing 
the  different  stages  of  music,  drama,  and  art  from 


^L^_ 


LETTER   FROM   PRINCESS   PAULINE  VON    METTERNICH. 


H3TT3M   MOV 


J 


< 


^^A 


Vienna  and  Chicago  213 

their  earliest  beginning  to  the  present  day,  I  deter- 
mined to  add  the  little  I  possessed,  and  I  therefore 
accepted  the  invitation  of  the  art-loving  Princess. 
Selecting  the  most  beautiful  and  rare  specimens  of 
my  already  large  collection  I  shipped  them  to 
Vienna,  having  previously  put  them  in  playable 
condition,  so  that  I  could  use  the  instruments  to 
illustrate  my  lectures  and  the  musical  performances 
which  it  was  my  object  to  deliver  there. 

I  therefore  determined  to  go  to  Vienna  for  the 
furtherance  of  this  object.  I  must  confess  that  I 
felt  some  anxiety  in  thus  sending  my  instruments 
and  entering  them  into  competition  with  such  collec- 
tions as  were  represented  by  the  treasures  of  Fred- 
erick the  Great,  those  belonging  to  the  Royal 
Families  of  Great  Britain  and  Italy,  the  celebrated 
De  Witt  collection  of  Leipsic,  that  of  Baron  von 
Rothschild,  and  especially  that  of  the  Emperor  of 
Austria  and  of  the  Gesellschaft  der  Musik  Freunde 
of  Vienna ;  not  mentioning  such  treasures  as  were 
sent  from  France,  the  different  States  of  Germany, 
and  the  rare  specimens  of  private  individuals  who 
owned  instruments  that  were  used  by  the  Bach 
family,  Haydn,  Mozart,  Hummel,  Beethoven, 
Chopin,  Mendelssohn,  Schubert,  Meyerbeer,  Doni- 
zetti, Bellini,  and  many  others.  When  I  arrived  at 
the  Rotunda  where  the  exhibition  was  held,  and 
looked  at  all  of  the  wonderful  instruments,  I  felt 
that  I  was  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  and  I  wished 
myself  back  in  the  quiet  "  City  of  Elms,"  where  I 
could  fondle  and  caress  my  darlings  alone  and  un- 
disturbed by  the  great  agencies  of  artistic  Europe; 
where  I  could  obtain  for  them  such  appreciation  and 


214  Reminiscences 

praise  as  had  taught  me  to  be  almost  conceited  and 
a  person  of  much  vanity. 

At  this  moment,  when  I  felt  an  intense  longing  for 
home,  the  sweet  fairy  who  has  ever  watched  over 
me  came  to  console  me,  and  in  her  immaculate 
loveliness  stood  before  me.  With  her  magic  wand 
she  pointed  to  my  collection  and  whispered  words 
of  hope  and  cheer,  telling  me  not  to  be  cast 
down,  for  by  my  coming  untold  treasures  and  hap- 
piness would  come  to  me.  With  a  start  I  awoke 
from  my  depression,  for  I  well  knew  that  the  fairy 
appeared  only  when  I  needed  her  most,  and  that  her 
coming  was  the  signal  for  rejoicing,  for  good  fortune 
must  be  hovering  over  me.  I  started  on  a  tour  of 
inspection  round  the  building,  and  approached  the 
famous  collection  of  Frederick  the  Great,  the  Musical 
King,  and  lo!  I  found  that  he  was  only  a  flute- 
player  after  all.  I  touched  the  keys  of  his  Reise- 
clavier,  so  called  because  it  can  be  folded  up  and 
put  into  a  trunk  when  travelling,  and  when  I  tried 
to  call  up  the  departed  soul  of  its  former  tone  life, 
alas!  it  was  as  silent  as  the  grave,  and  while  its  keys 
bent  down  to  the  touch  of  my  fingers  the  hammers 
that  should  have  evoked  the  living  spirit  from  out 
the  strings  were  not  responsive,  their  usefulness  was 
gone.  Yes,  "  empty  was  the  cradle,  baby  's  gone." 
I  soon  discovered  that  I  was  surrounded  by  the  in- 
habitants of  an  old-time  museum,  and  that  the 
instruments  assembled  in  the  Rotunda  on  the  Prater 
were  nothing  but  old,  broken-down  wrecks  minus 
the  power  of  speech  to  tell  of  their  former  existence 
and  usefulness,  while  the  "  M.  Steinert  Collection  " 
was  alive  and  capable  of  being  played  upon. 


Vienna  and  Chicago  215 

This  minority  which  I  represented  created  for  me 
a  prestige  which  afterwards  brought  me  honors  and 
great  pleasure,  and  I  thanked  my  good  fairy,  and 
kissed  her  outstretched  wand  on  the  Prater  of 
Vienna.  With  this  playable  collection  I  gave  daily 
lectures  on  the"  Evolution  of  the  Pianoforte,"  in 
my  little  section  of  the  Rotunda,  improvising  upon 
them  and  playing  from  the  old  masters.  One  day  a 
committee  came  and  extended  to  me  an  invitation 
from  the  Conservatory  of  Music  and  Der  Gesellschaft 
der  Musik  Freunde,  to  deliver  a  lecture  before  the 
faculty  and  advanced  pupils  of  the  Conservatory, 
which  invitation  I  accepted. 

Here  I  must  recall  an  incident  of  my  stay  in  Brus- 
sels. While  in  the  city  I  paid  a  visit  to  the  Con- 
servatoire, where  I  saw  a  magnificent  collection  of 
old  instruments,  and  among  them  a  wonderful 
harpsichord,  made  by  J.  A.  Hass  of  Hamburg, 
about  1715.  This  instrument  was  of  tremendous 
size,  and  it  had  two  keyboards.  I  was  so  impressed 
by  its  size  and  beauty  that  I  involuntarily  touched 
it,  and  in  doing  so  called  forth  the  displeasure  of 
the  custodian,  who  told  me  that  no  one  was  allowed 
to  handle  the  instrument  on  account  of  the  damage 
that  might  be  done  to  it  by  playing  upon  it ;  that  it 
was  of  such  great  antiquity  and  magnificence  of 
musical  power  that  to  touch  it  was  looked  upon 
as  sacrilege.  He  strengthened  his  remarks  by 
saying,  "It  is  the  only  harpsichord  of  like  size, 
construction,  and  make  now  in  existence."  The 
beauty  of  the  instrument  and  the  rare  qualities  as 
described  by  the  custodian  created  a  desire  within 
me  to  possess  the  harpsichord,  and  if  I  had  followed 


2i6  Reminiscences 

my  inclination,  I  don't  know  what  fabulous  price  I 
would  have  paid  for  its  possession. 

But  to  resume.  On  the  afternoon  of  my  promised 
lecture  before  the  Vienna  Conservatory  of  Music, 
while  busily  engaged  in  tuning  an  old  harpsichord 
for  use  that  evening,  I  noticed  an  elderly  gentleman 
approaching  me,  with  a  smile  upon  his  face  and  a 
look  of  interest  in  his  eyes.  He  stopped  at  the  sec- 
tion and  gazed  some  moments  at  the  harpsichord  I 
was  at  work  upon,  finally  breaking  the  silence  by 
introducing  himself  and  telling  me  that  he  was  a 
piano-tuner  by  trade.  As  I  wanted  to  have  a  little 
fun  with  him,  I  asked  him  whether  he  ever  tuned 
such  a  pianoforte,  pointing  to  the  harpsichord. 
With  much  sarcasm  he  replied  that  he  had  never 
tuned  such  a  pianoforte,  but  that  he  had  seen  and 
repaired,  twenty-five  years  before,  a  harpsichord, 
and  that  it  was  much  larger  and  handsomer  than 
the  one  I  was  at  work  upon ;  that  it  was  a  double- 
bank  instrument,  beautifully  decorated ;  that  it  had 
a  number  of  registers  like  an  organ,  and  its  tones 
were  marvellously  powerful  yet  sweet,  and  that  it 
was  far  superior  to  any  pianoforte  he  had  ever  heard. 

His  description  made  a  powerful  impression  upon 
the  man  from  the  Nutmeg  State,  and  in  a  phleg- 
matic and  deliberate  manner  I  asked  him  whether 
I  could  see  the  harpsichord  and  possibly  buy  it. 
He  began  to  laugh  and  show  great  surprise,  say- 
ing that  it  was  impossible,  as  he  had  lost  all  track 
of  the  instrument,  and  though  he  still  remem- 
bered the  name  of  the  owner  and  where  he  then 
lived,  he  was  certain  that  the  harpsichord  was 
no  longer  in  his  possession.  I  was  not  to  be  put 


Vienna  and  Chicago  217 

off,  for  the  old  tuner's  description  had  excited  my 
curiosity,  and  a  great  longing  came  over  me  to  see 
it.  I  therefore  expressed  my  desire  to  the  tuner 
and  implored  him  to  lead  me  in  the  direction  of  the 
instrument,  so  that  I  might  obtain  some  clue  as  to 
its  whereabouts.  It  was  of  no  avail,  however,  as  he 
looked  upon  the  spending  of  further  time  as  a  mis- 
take, and  useless.  His  protests  had  no  effect  upon 
me;  rather  did  they  strengthen  me  in  my  endeavor 
to  find  out  if  possible  the  resting-place  of  the  harp- 
sichord, so  I  said,  "  Herr  Miiller,  I  will  pay  you  ten 
gulden  if  you  will  put  me  on  the  track  of  this  old 
instrument."  I  followed  this  offer  with  an  invita- 
tion to  take  a  glass  of  beer,  and  at  the  same  time  I 
took  out  my  cigar-case  and  offered  him  a  cigar. 
Over  our  stein  of  cool  Vienna  beer  his  memory  was 
refreshed,  and  he  signified  his  willingness  to  do  his 
best  to  find  it.  After  two  or  three  steins  he  rubbed 
his  head  thoughtfully  and,  putting  on  his  Vienna 
thinking-cap,  said,  "  Ac/t,  Herr  von  Sfeinert,  es  ist 
ja  der  Herr  Die/in  fiir  den  Ick  das  alte  clavicymbal 
repariert  kabe,  er  wohntja  in  der — Strasse. ' '  We  took 
a  cab  and  quickly  drove  to  the  house  of  Herr  Diehn. 
We  halted  before  a  large  old-fashioned  man- 
sion, and  alighting  I  pulled  the  bell-rope  hanging 
down  in  front  of  the  door.  I  rang  several  times 
before  any  one  appeared.  Finally  the  door  was 
opened  by  a  venerable,  gray-haired  gentleman  who, 
with  charming  courtesy,  asked  what  he  could  do  for 
us.  My  guide  must  have  recognized  him  at  once, 
for  in  the  most  affable  and  polite  way  he  said, 
"  Ac/t,  Herr  Diehn,  hier  ist  ein  Amerikaner  der 
mochte  das  alte  clavicymbal  setien,  das  Ich  fiir  Sie 


218  Reminiscences 

repariert  habe,  und  er  will  es  auch  kaufen"  Herr 
Diehn  was  dumfounded  at  this  announcement,  for 
to  judge  by  his  expression  he  thought  that  there 
was  not  a  man  in  the  world  who  could  be  induced 
to  buy  it,  so  he  replied:  "  My  good  friends,  while 
I  think  the  old  spinet  must  be  stored  away  some- 
where, I  have  not  the  faintest  idea  where  it  is, 
and  you  must  know  that  to  find  it  in  this  large 
house  would  be  quite  a  task,  as  I  have  neither  seen 
nor  heard  of  it  in  nearly  twenty-five  years.  If  I  am 
so  fortunate  as  to  find  it,  I  am  confident  that  its 
usefulness  is  so  far  gone  as  not  to  be  worth  the 
trouble  of  hunting  it  up."  He  furthermore  said 
that  he  was  old  and  in  too  feeble  health  to  mount 
the  stairs  to  the  attic  under  the  roof  where  the  old 
clavier  might  possibly  be  found.  Herr  Diehn 
strongly  opposed  our  urgent  request  to  be  shown 
the  way  to  the  attic  where  the  old  trap  was  stored 
away,  but  after  a  long  parley  and  my  assurance  that 
I  would  buy  the  instrument  under  any  condition, 
he  rubbed  his  head  a  moment  and  then  called, 
"  Katrina!  Katrina!  Bring  me  a  candle  and  come 
up  here  with  me,"  and  he  pointed  to  the  stairs 
leading  to  the  attic  as  Katrina  appeared  holding  a 
lighted  tallow  candle  in  her  hand. 

With  Katrina  ahead,  we  felt  our  way  up  the  dark 
stairs  to  the  space  under  the  roof,  which  was  so  low 
on  the  sides  as  to  make  us  bend  over  nearly  double. 
Feeling  our  way  along  under  the  eaves,  we  finally 
came  to  an  object  which  seemed  to  be  long  and 
made  of  wood.  It  was  lying  on  the  floor  on  its  side. 
Herr  Diehn  put  his  hand  upon  it  and  drawing  it  out 
a  little  with  our  help,  said,  "  I  guess  this  is  the  old 


Vienna  and  Chicago  219 

harpsichord  you  are  looking  for."  It  was  covered 
with  dirt  and  dust,  but  we  pulled  it  out  to  the  middle 
of  the  attic  where  there  were  two  empty  flour  bar- 
rels. We  then  bent  down  and  tried  to  lift  it  up  on 
to  the  barrels,  but,  as  it  was  very  heavy,  we  needed 
Katrina's  assistance  also,  and  sticking  her  candle  in 
a  hole  in  one  of  the  rafters  she  came  and  helped  us 
raise  the  old  instrument  to  the  barrels;  and  the  in- 
side, though  covered  with  dirt  and  dust,  was  visible, 
the  cover  being  in  another  part  of  the  room. 

Taking  the  candle,  I  looked  at  the  harpsichord 
before  me,  and  with  my  handkerchief  dusted  off 
the  sounding-board  that  I  might  see  the  construc- 
tion of  the  instrument,  and  as  the  flickering  light 
fell  upon  it,  to  my  intense  delight  I  saw  that  it 
was  indeed  a  magnificent  harpsichord,  bearing  on 
the  sounding-board  the  name  of  J.  A.  Hassof  Ham- 
burg, with  the  date  of  1710.  It  had  two  keyboards, 
with  tortoise-shell  naturals  and  ivory  sharps,  eight 
stops,  and  it  contained  a  long  set  of  strings  produ- 
cing a  sixteen-foot  tone,  also  two  shorter  sets,  each 
set  producing  an  eight-foot  tone,  and  a  still  shorter 
one  of  a  four-foot  tone,  and,  finally,  two  very  short 
sets,  each  giving  a  two-foot  tone.  Furthermore, 
one  stop  imitated  the  lute  and  another  one  the 
harp.  The  sounding-board  was  painted  with  flowers 
and  other  artistic  decorations,  while  the  inside  lid 
displayed  the  most  excellent  specimens  of  Japanese 
art,  both  in  conception  and  execution.  The  builder 
was  noted  as  the  most  celebrated  harpsichord-maker 
of  that  period  in  Germany.  It  was  the  genuine 
counterpart  of  the  harpsichord,  also  made  by  Hass  of 
Hamburg,  which  I  had  looked  upon  with  so  much 


Reminiscences 


envy  in  the  Conservatoire  of  the  Belgian  Capital,  and 
which  almost  set  me  crazy,  so  great  was  my  desire 
to  possess  it  at  any  cost.  Here  before  me  was  an 
instrument  that  was  even  more  beautiful  and  of  an 
earlier  date.  To  describe  my  sensations  and  my 
excitement  at  the  moment  when  I  found  the  rare 
treasure  in  the  old  garret  of  Herr  Diehn  in  Vienna 
is  impossible;  and  when  I  recalled  that  important 
epoch  in  the  history  of  music  when  Handel  and 
Mattheson  lived  in  Hamburg,  when  Bach  gave  life 
to  his  immortal  works  upon  this  instrument  which 
had  now  come  into  my  possession,  I  felt  that  my 
journey  to  Vienna  had  been  a  most  important  and 
fruitful  one. 

It  did  not  take  me  long  to  pay  for  the  harpsichord 
and  remove  it  from  its  unhallowed  home,  and  I 
shipped  it  at  once  to  my  workshop  in  New  Haven, 
Connecticut.  When  I  returned  I  repaired  it  thor- 
oughly, and  have  used  it  in  my  lectures  ever  since. 
It  is  of  a  beautiful  tone,  powerful  and  rich,  and  yet 
soft  and  more  expressive  than  are  most  harpsi- 
chords, and  it  never  fails  to  delight  my  hearers  when 
I  play  upon  it. 

The  evening  following  the  finding  of  the  harp- 
sichord I  lectured  before  the  Conservatory,  and  it 
was  most  successful,  the  Vice-President  at  the  close 
of  the  talk  making  an  address  in  which  he  thanked 
me  for  my  services,  and  spoke  of  the  pleasure  and 
intellectual  treat  afforded  by  my  comprehensive 
lecture  on  the  "  Evolution  of  the  Pianoforte."  I 
replied,  thanking  them  for  their  appreciation,  and 
presented  them  with  a  clavichord,  with  the  proviso 
that  the  instrument  should  be  used  once  a  year  at 


THE   SCIENTIFIC   COMMISSION    OF   THE    INTERNATIONAL    E. 


Bildhauer 

Gustos 

Henry  Regnier 

Vice-Prasident 

Prasident 

Excel 

Costenoble. 

Dr.  Bockh. 

Corn  missal  re 

Baron 

Excellenz 

Boos- 

Chef-Architekt 
Bartelmus. 

Dr.  Thouret 
(Berlin). 
Dr.   Friedlander 

de  la  Repub- 
lique  franchise 
(Paris). 

Bourgoing. 

Custos 
Dr.  Engelmann. 

Alexander 

Markgraf  von 
Pallavicini 

Vice-II1 
Ci 
Dr. 

General- 
Secreta'r 

(Berlin). 
Dr.  Pietro 

Dr.  Mantuani 

R.  W.  Kurka. 

Angelo 
Baron  Eisenhof. 

Kai: 

Schlic 

Hermann 

Berardi 

Dr.  A.  M 

Hillger 

(Turin). 

Dr.  von  Weilen. 

Dr.  Baron 

p 

(Deutschland). 

Chef-Architekt 

Scotti 

Dr.  Gi 

Oskar 

(Bergamo). 

De. 

Marmorek. 

Univer 

1ITION    OF    MUSIC    AND   THE    DRAMA   IN    VIENNA,    1892. 


Graf 

President 

Ober-Baurath 

Director 

Docent 

Jeck 

Abg.  Dr. 

Baron 

Philip  Bock 

Dr.  Osc. 

Morris  Steinert 

lent. 

Jacques. 

Hasenauer. 

(St.  Petersburg). 

Fleischer 

(New  Haven, 

Dr.  Baron 

Custos 

Custos 

(Berlin). 

U.  S.  A.). 

St. 

uh 
roll. 

Weckbecker 
k.  k.  Regier- 
ungs-Com- 

Dr.  Dernjac. 
Professor 
Dr.  Barack 

Dr.  Heinr.  Rietsch. 
Custos 
Dr.  Rudolf  Beer. 

Kugene  Thomas 
(Amsterdam). 

Director 
kais.  Rath 
Oscar  Hoefft 

chtern. 

missar. 

(Strassburg). 

K.us.  Rath 

F.  Schoenthal. 

Custos 

Prof.  Roller. 

Prof.  Luckhardt. 

General- 

Adler 

Dr.  Kraus. 

Prof.  Berwin 

Dr.  Wilhelm. 

Dr.  Ferd.  Gross. 

Director 

te 

Director 

(Rom). 

kais.  Rath 

Prag. 

Dr.  Carl 
Glossy. 

Don  Roca 
(Barcelona). 

Commissar 
von  Wedelstaedt 
(Berlin). 

Ingenieur 
A.  Hoffmann. 

Dr.  Emil 

Auspitzer. 

Vienna  and  Chicago  221 

the  public  recital  of  the  Conservatory.  The  lecture 
over,  I  was  invited  by  the  faculty  to  a  banquet  at 
the  restaurant  "  Kuhrer  "  on  the  Schottenring,  and 
while  there  I  related  to  them  the  finding  of  the 
Hass  harpsichord  in  the  city  that  afternoon.  They 
could  not  believe  it,  but  when  I  assured  them  and 
proved  it  to  them  and  told  them  that  the  old  tuner 
of  the  Conservatory,  Herr  Miiller,  had  led  me  to  it, 
their  sorrow  and  disappointment  knew  no  bounds. 

While  in  Vienna  the  Commissioner  from  America 
to  Great  Britain,  Mr.  McCormick  of  Chicago,  came 
to  visit  the  exhibition  and  to  solicit  musical  loan 
collections  for  the  "  World's  Fair  "  to  be  held  in 
Chicago  in  1893.  He  called  on  Geheimrath  (Doctor) 
von  Ausspitzer,  and  told  him  his  object  in  coming 
to  Vienna,  and  Doctor  von  Ausspitzer  informed 
him  that  the  man  who  had  the  most  interesting 
collection  was  an  American,  Mr.  Steinert,  of  New 
Haven,  Connecticut,  and  he  advised  him  to  see  me. 
Mr.  McCormick,  who  lived  in  the  same  hotel,  paid 
me  a  visit  and  solicited  my  co-operation.  While  I 
did  not  promise  to  send  my  collection,  for  I  felt 
that  I  had  been  a  showman  quite  long  enough,  I 
left  the  question  open,  and  as  he  was  not  finally 
successful  he  left.  Upon  my  return  to  the  United 
States  I  entered  into  correspondence  with  Doctor 
Peabody,  and  we  arranged  upon  satisfactory  terms 
for  my  loan  collection  to  be  shown  in  Chicago.  I 
received  two  thousand  dollars  for  my  services,  which 
amount  did  not  cover  one  half  of  the  expense  in 
taking  my  collection  there. 

I  also  found  in  Vienna,  in  the  Great  Britain 
exhibit,  a  most  wonderful  double  spinet,  which 


222  Reminiscences 

belonged  to  a  gentleman  in  London,  and  which  I 
purchased  from  him  and  placed  in  my  collection. 
This  spinet  was  made  by  Hans  Ruckers,  the  elder, 
in  Antwerp  as  early  as  1579,  and  Ruckers's  spinets 
were  celebrated  as  being  of  the  finest  quality.  The 
little  spinet  at  the  left  of  the  instrument  sets 
into  the  spinet  proper  and  is  tuned  one  octave 
higher  than  the  one  whose  keyboard  is  placed  to  the 
right.  In  performing  on  both  instruments  at  the 
same  time,  the  smaller  one  is  removed  and  can  be 
set  upon  a  table.  The  paintings  upon  the  lid  are 
especially  fine,  representing  a  contest  before  the 
gods  between  Apollo  and  Marsyas,  the  former 
playing  a  viola,  the  latter  a  pipe,  while  the  back- 
ground is  a  hilly  country,  with  a  lake  and  a  castle. 
Above  and  below  the  removable  spinet  are  charming 
landscapes,  with  figures  of  children  dancing,  and 
at  the  fixed  keyboard  men  and  women  are  dancing 
in  pairs.  The  spinet  rests  upon  a  stand  with  seven 
pierced  arches  and  columns,  and  with  the  excep- 
tion of  one  at  Nuremberg,  made  by  Martin  Beest, 
it  is  probably  the  only  complete  double  spinet  in 
existence. 

One  day  I  received  a  call  from  Sir  George  Grove, 
the  editor  of  Grove 's  Dictionary  of  Music,  and 
Director  of  the  Royal  College  of  Music  in  Lon- 
don, for  whom  I  improvised  upon  the  old  instru- 
ments. He  extended  to  me  an  urgent  invitation  to 
lecture  at  the  college,  and  I  accepted,  but  was  pre- 
vented from  doing  so  by  Mr.  Grove's  inability  to 
procure  suitable  instruments  in  London  to  illustrate 
the  lecture.  I  could  not  take  my  collection  there 
from  Vienna  on  account  of  a  special  arrangement 


Vienna  and  Chicago  223 

made  with  the  Government  of  the  United  States 
which  admitted  the  instruments  free  of  duty,  pro- 
vided they  were  sent  to  Vienna  and  returned  over  the 
same  route.  During  my  stay  in  London  I  formed 
the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  J.  S.  Hipkins,  the  noted 
writer  on  musical  subjects,  and  a  contributor  to  the 
Encyclopedia  Britannica,  a  well-known  lecturer  and 
authority  on  musical  instruments,  whose  acquaint- 
ance I  highly  prize,  and  in  whose  home  and  charm- 
ing family  circle  I  spent  many  pleasant  hours. 

My  collection  created  a  great  deal  of  interest  in 
Chicago,  and  while  there  I  gave  a  lecture  in  the 
large  Auditorium  on  the  Fair  Grounds  by  request  of 
the  management.  Upon  my  return  to  New  Haven 
I  was  asked  to  give  a  lecture  at  Yale  University 
in  North  Sheffield  Hall,  which  I  did,  lecturing  and 
playing  myself.  This  invitation  from  Yale  was 
followed  by  requests  from  the  Metropolitan  Mu- 
seum in  New  York,  from  Columbia  University,  and 
I  also  gave  an  informal  talk  one  afternoon  in  the 
studio  of  Mr.  Breese,  and  before  the  Monday  Morn- 
ing Club,  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Bagby,  at 
the  Waldorf-Astoria. 

After  returning  from  Vienna,  I  found  myself  in 
need  of  the  baths  at  Sharon  Springs  of  which  I  had 
been  deprived  the  summer  before.  It  has  ever  been 
a  custom  of  mine  to  carry  some  musical  instrument 
with  me  when  going  away  for  a  few  weeks,  and  as  I 
was  at  that  time  greatly  interested  in  playing  the 
clavichord  I  took  one  with  me  that  year  to  Sharon. 

In  the  monontony  that  so  powerfully  surrounds 
the  health-seeking  patients,  the  existence  of  such 
a  curious  little  instrument  as  a  clavichord,  though 


224  Reminiscences 

it  is  exceedingly  modest  in  its  tone  splendor,  could 
not  be  kept  a  secret,  and  while  I  knew  that  its  soft 
and  tender  whisperings  could  scarcely  penetrate 
through  the  door  which  separated  me  from  my 
neighbor,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  it  was  noised 
about  the  Pavilion  Hotel,  where  I  was  staying, 
that  a  queer  little  man  in  No.  103  had  a  quaint 
instrument,  and  that  weird  sounds  were  nightly 
heard  in  his  room ;  that  these  tones  were  not  unlike 
the  aeolian  harp,  and  yet  they  seemed  to  be  brought 
out  by  a  skilful  hand,  and  had,  therefore,  much  re- 
semblance to  music  that  is  produced  on  other  instru- 
ments. The  wonderment  of  the  lonely  guests  was 
on  tip  toe,  and  those  living  on  the  same  floor  where 
the  mysterious  sounds  were  heard  finally  appealed 
to  the  chambermaids  for  information.  These  girls 
must  have  satisfied  their  inquisitiveness  concern- 
ing the  playing  of  music  upon  a  little  instrument 
that  looked  for  all  the  world  like  an  ordinary  kitchen 
table,  but  which  contained  keys  which  brought  forth 
strange  sounds  such  as  they  had  never  heard  before. 
Having  thus  created  a  peculiar  kind  of  sensation, 
which  had  much  curiosity  connected  with  it,  and 
which  was  entirely  unknown  to  me,  I  was  accosted 
one  day  by  Professor  T.  of  Harvard  University, 
with  a  polite  request  to  give  him  some  information 
regarding  the  music  and  the  instrument  which  he 
nightly  heard  when  in  his  room.  He  followed  his 
request  by  telling  me  that  his  wife,  who  thoroughly 
appreciated  and  enjoyed  the  class  of  music  I  played, 
wished  to  know  something  about  the  instrument. 
The  Professor  showed  so  much  interest  that  I 
invited  him  into  my  room,  and  showing  him  my  old 


Vienna  and  Chicago  225 

clavichord  I  played  for  him  and  briefly  explained 
to  him  its  history.  He  must  have  been  greatly 
pleased  with  what  he  heard,  and  as  he  and  his  wife 
were  in  the  company  of  relatives  of  the  President  of 
Harvard  University,  and  as  they  asked  me  to  allow 
them  to  come  in  and  see  the  clavichord  and  listen  to 
an  explanation  as  to  its  peculiar  construction,  and  as 
many  similar  requests  were  made  to  me,  I  finally 
consented  to  give  a  short  talk  every  morning  in  my 
room  on  the  "  Evolution  of  the  Pianoforte,"  and 
to  play  from  the  old  masters  and  improvise.  This 
seemed  a  pleasant  diversion,  and  every  morning  my 
room  was  filled  with  ladies  and  gentlemen. 

Among  the  listeners  was  a  prominent  society 
woman  from  Springfield,  Massachusetts.  She  was 
greatly  interested  in  my  work,  and  she  suggested 
that  I  come  to  Springfield  during  the  winter,  and 
give  a  lecture  there.  She  asked  me  my  terms,  and 
when  I  told  her  that  I  was  not  in  the  business, 
and  that  I  invariably  made  no  charge,  she  was  de- 
lighted, and  called  my  attention  to  the  existence  of 
a  charity  in  the  city  which  was  greatly  in  need  of 
funds,  and  proposed  that  tickets  be  sold  for  the 
lecture  and  the  proceeds  given  to  this  charity,  to 
which  arrangement  I  consented. 

It  was  a  bitter  cold  day  when  I  arrived  in  Spring- 
field to  deliver  my  well-worn  lecture  on  the  "  Evolu- 
tion of  the  Pianoforte."  When  I  reached  the  little 
city,  accompanied  by  my  son  Albert,  who,  by  the 
way,  had  been  my  travelling  companion  during  my 
previous  visit  to  Vienna,  I  philosophized  with  him  as 
we  walked  up  Main  Street  upon  the  fact  that  it  must 
be  a  very  cold  day  for  me  when  I  had  to  come  to 


226  Reminiscences 

Springfield  to  lecture  for  charity.  As  the  pros- 
pect for  a  large  gathering  gave  me  an  icy  chill,  and 
I  was  fairly  shivering  in  my  boots,  I  saw,  like  an 
oasis  in  the  desert,  a  florist's  shop  and  a  window  quite 
full  of  beautiful  flowers,  blooming  in  contrast  to  the 
spring  flowers  of  the  Mikado.  As  I  am  fond  of 
flowers,  and  thinking  of  what  might  happen  that 
night  when  I  was  to  inflict  upon  the  intelligent 
people  of  Springfield  my  threadbare  lecture  on  the 
"  Evolution  of  the  Pianoforte,"  I  said,  "  Albert, 
go  in  there  and  buy  some  flowers  for  the  lecturer." 
While  Albert  is  generally  a  good  son,  I  was  aston- 
ished to  see  him  show  signs  of  disobedience,  and 
he  turned  and  looked  at  me  in  a  surprised  way, 
as  he  replied,  "  What  do  you  mean,  father  ? — buy 
flowers  for  the  lecturer  ?  " — "  What  I  say,  my  son. 
Go  in  there  and  buy  some  flowers  for  the  lecturer," 
and,  handing  him  a  five-dollar  bill,  I  emphasized 
my  command  by  telling  him  that  I  wanted  a 
bouquet  of  the  nicest  flowers  to  be  had,  and  that  I 
wanted  him  to  pay  five  dollars  for  it.  Albert 
reluctantly  complied  with  my  request,  and  presently 
came  out  with  an  exquisite  bouquet  of  flowers,  and 
we  left  for  the  hotel.  '  Now,  my  boy,"  I  con- 
tinued, "  at  the  end  of  my  lecture  when  I  make  my 
closing  remark  which  you  know  so  well, — '  Ladies 
and  gentlemen,  I  thank  you  greatly  for  the  kind  at- 
tention you  have  shown  me  this  evening,' — and 
which,  as  you  know,  Albert,  is  always  followed  by 
a  polite  bow,  you  must  come  forward  and  present 
me  with  the  flowers."  We  rehearsed  this  several 
times  at  the  hotel,  and  Albert  finally  did  the  thing 
very  gracefully. 


Vienna  and  Chicago  227 

I  must  credit  the  good  people  of  Springfield  with 
much  charity  when  I  say  that,  despite  the  bitter  cold 
night,  a  large  and  appreciative  audience  gathered  for 
my  lecture  on  the  "  Evolution  of  the  Pianoforte," 
and  I  must  also  credit  myself  with  my  foresight  as  to 
not  being  greeted  with  flowers  from  them.  During 
the  lecture  I  kept  my  eye  on  Albert,  who  was  wide 
awake  to  the  occasion  of  presenting  the  flowers  to 
me,  but  as  I  continued  and  tried  to  hold  the  interest 
of  my  audience  I  noticed  with  disappointment  that 
Albert  had  fallen  asleep, — for  which  I  could  not 
blame  him,  knowing  that  he  had  heard  my  lecture 
on  the  "  Evolution  of  the  Pianoforte  "  so  many 
times  as  to  prefer  a  little  doze  to  what  I  had  to  say. 
Albert  did  not  know  that  he  snored  when  asleep, 
otherwise  he  would  have  had  better  taste  than  to 
fall  asleep  when  I  was  delivering  my  lecture  on  the 
'  Evolution  of  the  Pianoforte,"  and  so  to  my  dis- 
may I  heard  the  unmusical  sound  of  Albert's  snores 
which  were  even  more  overpowering  in  their  pe- 
culiar rhythms  than  the  soft  and  dulcet  tones  of  my 
old  clavichords  upon  which  I  always  play  when  I 
deliver  my  lecture  on  the  "  Evolution  of  the  Piano- 
forte." 

The  cold  and  icy  winds  that  were  howling  outside 
now  began  in  their  force  to  make  the  windows  rattle 
amidst  the  spellbound  interest  of  the  audience  and 
the  unmusical  snores  of  Albert,  the  guardian  of  my 
five-dollar  bouquet.  I  drew  near  the  closing  sen- 
tence of  the  imposing  finale  of  my  celebrated 
lecture  on  the  "  Evolution  of  the  Pianoforte,"  and 
as  I  uttered  the  last  word,  I  cast  an  agonized 
glance  at  Albert,  but  he  was  still  in  the  arms  of 


228  Reminiscences 

Morpheus,  dreaming  to  a  snoring  obligato.  Re- 
membering the  bouquet  for  which  I  had  paid  five 
dollars  and  the  possibility  of  its  not  appearing  in 
accordance  to  our  rehearsal,  I  cried  out  in  my 
despair,  "  Albert!  Albert!  Where  are  the  flowers 
for  the  lecturer  ?  "  The  boy,  hearing  in  his  dreams 
the  voice  of  his  father,  and  realizing  the  hour  of 
my  need,  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  in  the  most 
obedient  and  devoted  manner  advanced  with  the 
bouquet,  which  I  graciously  accepted,  thanking 
Albert,  and  bowing  right  and  left  to  the  tumultuous 
audience  in  appreciation  of  their  generosity. 

Referring  to  my  early  struggles  in  forming  an 
orchestra,  and  especially  to  the  collapse  of  my  band 
on  Fischer's  birthday  at  the  temperance  lecture  in 
Music  Hall,  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  speak  of  the  sur- 
vivors of  that  glorious  band  which  aimed  so  high 
and  fell  so  low.  It  would  be  an  injustice  to  them 
— of  which  I  count  myself  one  of  the  happy  mortals 
— to  refer  to  the  fact  that  old  Adam  still  had  a  little 
hold  upon  the  few,  when  one  fine  morning  a  body 
of  musicians  came  to  me  and  implored  me  to  organ- 
ize an  orchestra.  This  word,  in  itself,  carried  me 
back  like  a  flash  to  the  Fischer  episode,  and  in  a 
hopeless  way  I  told  the  applicants  of  my  former 
experiences.  The  committee  that  asked  for  my  co- 
operation in  bringing  into  life  a  new  orchestra  in 
New  Haven  appeared  to  me  to  be  in  earnest,  and 
this  encouraged  me  to  once  more  indulge  in  one  of 
my  old  passions,  and  the  result  was  the  organization, 
some  six  years  ago,  of  the  "  New  Haven  Symphony 
Orchestra,"  a  body  of  sixty  musicians,  who  have 
given  a  series  of  concerts  of  the  highest  order  once 


Vienna  and  Chicago  229 

a  year  in  the  Hyperion  Theatre.  Among  this  band, 
I  am  proud  to  state,  are  two  of  my  children,  Heloise 
(Mrs.  S.  B.  Shoninger),  who  has  the  honor  to  be 
the  second  concertmeister,  and  Rudolph,  who  plays 
first  oboe.  This  orchestra,  which  is  bound  to  live 
and  prosper,  has  given  a  great  impulse  to  the  musi- 
cal culture  of  our  city. 

In  connection  with  this  band,  it  would  be  an  in- 
justice not  to  mention  the  name  of  a  man  who  fur- 
nishes New  Haven  with  all  that  smacks  of  drama 
and  music.  And  while  I  don't  care  to  write  his 
biography,  as  it  might  outshine  and  put  into  the 
shade  my  own,  I  consider  it  pertinent  to  refer  to 
Mr.  G.  B.  Bunnell  as  a  proper  person  to  be  men- 
tioned in  my  reminiscences.  And  though  his  early 
training  came  under  the  tutelage  of  P.  T.  Barnum, 
where  he  probably  received  his  first  instruction  in 
music,  and  as  the  Barnum  school  may  be  much  in 
advance  of  the  Wagner,  his  usefulness  has  not  been 
antagonistic,  although  I  owe  him  much  for  his 
interest  in  my  work. 


CHAPTER   XII 

Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte 

ANY  one  not  acquainted  with  the  history  of  the 
pianoforte  will  probably  be  astonished  to  learn 
that  at  the  time  of  the  birth  of  such  great  compos- 
ers as  Domenico  Scarlatti  (1683),  George  Frederick 
Handel  (1684),  Johann  Sebastian  Bach  (1685),  and 
even  a  quarter  of  a  century  later,  no  such  instrument 
as  to-day  we  call  a  pianoforte  was  in  existence.  The 
greater  part  of  the  compositions  of  these  masters 
were  never  written  for  the  pianoforte ;  in  fact,  many 
years  passed  before  these  composers  paid  any  atten- 
tion to  this  instrument,  as  they  seemed  opposed  to 
its  use.  The  then  existing  instruments  played  by 
means  of  a  keyboard  were  the  clavichord,  harpsi- 
chord, and  spinet. 

According  to  musical  history,  it  is  a  well-known 
fact  that  in  Italy,  about  the  year  1527,  celebrated 
musicians  were  living  who  composed  for  keyed  in- 
struments, and  could  also  play  upon  them,  such  as 
Adrian  Willaert,  Parabosco,  Zarlino,  and  a  number 
of  others. 

In  1550  England  had  composers  and  players  upon 
keyed  instruments,  of  whom  the  most  noted  were 

230 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     231 

Thomas  Tallis  and  his  pupils,  William  Bird,  the 
latter  being  a  clavicinist  in  the  service  of  Queen 
Elizabeth.  These  men  are  known  as  the  authors 
of  a  number  of  manuscript  compositions,  which  are 
compiled  and  recognized  as  Queen  Elizabeth's  Vir- 
ginal Book. 

It  is  also  a  noteworthy  fact,  that  during  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  in  France,  the 
Couperin  families  and  Louis  Marchand  were 
composers  and  excellent  players  upon  the  harpsi- 
chord. 

Hans  Leo  Hasler,  born  in  1564  in  Nuremberg, 
Christian  Erbach,  born  about  1560  in  Algesheim, 
Hieronymus  Pratorius,  of  Hamburg,  born  in  1560, 
represent  Germany  during  the  end  of  the  sixteenth 
century  as  fine  composers  and  players  upon  these 
instruments.  There  were  many  others,  but  I  shall 
here  mention  only  Johann  Jakob  Froberger  of 
Halle,  born  in  1635,  Johann  Kasper  Kerl  of  Mu- 
nich, born  in  1628,  Johann  Pachelbel  of  Nuremberg, 
born  in  1653,  and  Dietrich  Buxtehude  of  Liibeck, 
born  in  1637,  until  we  come  to  Domenico  Scarlatti, 
Rameau,  Handel,  and  Bach. 

The  then  prevailing  style  of  music  as  found  in  the 
domain  of  the  Church,  with  its  polyphony  and 
organ,  largely  influenced  the  secular  style  of  music, 
but  the  solemnity  of  the  organ  tone,  and  the  pecul- 
iar rhythm  associated  with  it,  called  forth  the  desire 
for  an  instrument  outside  the  church  which,  while 
having  still  an  affinity  with  the  organ,  should  pos- 
sess elasticity  of  tone  and  variety  of  color.  This 
instrument  was  the  clavichord. 

The    clavichord    was    much    in    vogue    in    Italy 


232  Reminiscences 

with  the  ladies,  and  it  was  the  favorite  instru- 
ment of  young  women.  During  the  sixteenth 
century  in  Italy,  it  was  the  custom  for  people  of 
wealth  to  send  their  daughters  to  the  convents  for 
the  purpose  of  acquainting  them  with  the  arts  and 
sciences,  and  especially  to  receive  a  musical  educa- 
tion; and  at  the  time  of  Adrian  Willaert's  labors  in 
Venice,  he  himself  and  the  organists  at  San  Marco 
were  likewise  clavier  teachers  in  such  convents. 

It  was  about  1529  that  Elena,  daughter  of  the  re- 
nowned poet  and  man  of  letters,  Pietro  Bembo, 
begged  her  father  to  allow  her  to  take  part  in  this 
instruction.  Bembo's  written  reply  has  been  pre- 
served for  us,  and  the  passage  in  his  letter  wherein 
he  speaks  of  the  fondness  for  clavier-playing,  runs 
thus:  "  Touching  thy  request  for  leave  to  play  the 
monocordo,  I  answer,  that  by  reason  of  thy  tender 
years  thou  canst  not  know  that  playing  is  an  art  for 
vain,  frivolous  (leggierd)  women.  And  I  would 
that  thou  shouldst  be  the  most  amiable  and  the 
most  chaste  and  modest  maiden  alive.  Besides,  if 
thou  wert  to  play  badly,  thy  playing  would  cause 
thee  little  pleasure,  and  no  little  shame.  But  in 
order  to  play  well,  thou  must  needs  give  up  ten  or 
twelve  years  to  this  exercise,  without  even  thinking 
of  aught  else.  And  how  far  this  would  benefit  thee, 
thou  canst  see  for  thyself,  without  my  telling  it. 
Should  thy  schoolmates  desire  thee  to  learn  to  play 
for  their  pleasure,  tell  them  that  thou  dost  not  care 
to  have  them  laugh  at  thy  mortification.  And  con- 
tent thyself  with  the  pursuit  of  the  sciences  and  the 
practice  of  needlework." 

The  clavichord  possessed  a  soft  and  sweet  tone, 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     233 

capable  of  expression,  and  its  tone  could  be  pro- 
longed according  to  the  pressure  of  the  keys  towards 
the  strings.  A  small  bit  of  brass,  called  a  "  tan- 
gent," was  fastened  to  the  back  end  of  the  key, 
which,  when  raised  by  pressing  the  key,  struck  the 
string,  dividing  it,  thus  producing  at  the  same  time 
tone  and  pitch.  With  a  good  touch  the  player  could 
feel  the  elasticity  of  the  string,  and  the  more  this 
was  felt  the  better  the  instrument  was  considered 
to  be. 

By  the  pressure  of  the  tangent  the  string  was 
divided  into  two  unequal  lengths,  each  of  which 
would  have  vibrated,  but  the  shorter  one  was  in- 
stantly damped  by  a  narrow  band  of  cloth  interlaced 
with  the  strings,  which  also  damped  the  longer  sec- 
tion as  soon  as  the  player  allowed  the  key  to  rise 
and  the  tangent  to  fall.  The  tangent  thus  not  only 
produced  the  tones,  but  served  as  a  bridge  to  meas- 
ure off  the  vibrating  lengths  required  for  the  pitch 
of  the  notes.  Thus  a  delicate  tone  was  obtained 
that  had  in  it  something  charmingly  hesitating  and 
tremulous. 

The  tone  of  the  clavichord,  although  very  weak, 
was  yet  capable,  unlike  that  of  the  harpsichord,  of 
increase  and  decrease,  reflecting  the  finest  and  most 
tender  gradations  of  the  touch  of  the  player.  In 
this  power  of  expression  it  was  without  a  rival  until 
the  piano  was  invented.  Koch,  in  his  musical  lexi- 
con, describes  the  clavichord  as  the  comfort  of  the 
sufferer  and  the  sympathizing  friend  of  cheerfulness. 
The  clavichord  was  a  favorite  instrument  with 
Johann  Sebastian  Bach,  who  preferred  it  to  the 
pianoforte.  Mozart  used  the  clavichord  now  in  the 


234  Reminiscences 

Mozarteum  in  composing  his  Zauberflote,  or  Magic 
Flute,  and  other  masterpieces.  Beethoven  is  re- 
ported to  have  said,  "  Among  all  keyed  instru- 
ments the  clavichord  is  that  on  which  one  can  best 
control  tone  and  expressive  interpretation." 

Clavichords  made  prior  to  the  last  century  had 
strings  for  the  lower  or  natural  keys  only,  the  semi- 
tones on  the  upper  keys  being  produced  by  tangents 
directed  toward  the  strings  of  the  lower.  Thus,  C 
sharp  was  obtained  by  striking  the  C  string  at  a 
shorter  length.  About  the  year  1725,  Daniel 
Faber  of  Crailsheim  gave  the  semitone  its  own 
string,  and  instruments  so  made  were  distinguished 
as  Bundfrei  from  the  older  Gebunden,  which  was  a 
system  of  fretting.  The  Bcbung,  a  quiver  which 
consisted  in  giving  to  the  key  of  the  clavichord  a 
certain  trembling  pressure  which  produced  a  kind 
of  pulsation  of  the  sound  and  which  cannot  be  pro- 
duced on  the  pianoforte,  was  much  used  by  Bach 
in  order  to  connect  and  enliven  the  notes,  and  when 
necessary  to  give  them  a  special  emphasis,  to  help 
in  elucidating  the  character  of  the  music,  whether 
sad  or  cheerful. 

The  early  history  of  the  clavichord  previous  to 
the  fifteenth  century,  together  with  that  of  the 
chromatic  keyboard,  rests  in  profound  obscurity. 
Welker  describes  the  oldest  clavichord  as  bearing 
the  date  1520,  having  four  octaves,  with  the  notes 
C  sharp  and  D  sharp  wanting.  Clavichords  had, 
even  with  the  last  improvements,  a  soft,  hesitating 
tone.  After  they  came  into  general  use  the  idea 
arose  of  constructing  an  instrument  whose  strings 
could  be  set  into  stronger  vibration  by  means  of 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     235 

more  powerful  tangents,  in  order  to  gain  thereby  a 
more  powerful,  more  intense,  tone.  Of  the  many 
stringed  instruments  that  could  be  used  for  this 
purpose  during  the  Middle  Ages,  the  psaltery  was 
the  most  suitable  one.  Its  strings  were  operated 
by  means  of  a  plectrum  which  was  fastened  by  rings 
to  the  hand  of  the  performer.  The  psaltery  was 
the  prototype  of  the  spinet  and  the  harpsichord. 
Musical  writers  of  the  year  1650  say  that  the  psaltery 
played  with  a  skilled  hand  stood  second  to  no 
other  instrument,  and  praise  its  silvery  tone  and  its 
purity  of  intonation,  so  easily  controlled  by  the 
fingers.  The  strings  of  this  instrument  were  in  sets 
of  three,  each  group,  as  in  the  grand  piano,  being 
tuned  in  unison  to  make  one  note. 

The  spinet,  a  keyed  instrument  with  plectra  or 
jacks,  was  used  in  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
centuries.  According  to  Dr.  Burney,  it  was  "  a 
small  harpsichord  or  virginal  with  one  string  to  each 
note."  Scaliger,  who  lived  between  1484  and  1550, 
states  that  crow-quills  were  introduced  into  keyed 
instruments  subsequent  to  his  boyhood,  and  that 
through  them  the  name  "  spinet  "  (from  spine,  a 
thorn  or  point)  became  applied  to  what  had  been 
known  as  the  "  clavicymbal  "  and  "  harpsichord." 
The  strings  of  the  spinet  were  set  in  vibration  by 
points  of  a  quill,  elevated  on  wooden  uprights 
known  as  jacks,  and  twitching  or  plucking  them  as 
the  depression  of  the  keys  caused  the  points  to 
pass  upward.  It  is  also  stated  by  some  writers  that 
the  spinet  received  its  name  from  Spinetti,  a  Vene- 
tian, the  inventor  of  the  oblong  form  of  the  case, 
and  not  the  inventor  of  the  crow-quill  points. 


236  Reminiscences 

Spinetti  adapted  the  plectrum  system  to  the  oblong 
or  table-shaped  clavichord.  All  instruments  of  the 
spinet  or  harpsichord  family  were  on  the  plectrum 
principle,  and  therefore  were  incapable  of  dynamic 
modification  of  tone  by  difference  of  touch.  The 
spinet  or  virginal  was  a  favorite  instrument  of  the 
kings  and  queens  of  England,  and  many  interesting 
compositions  have  been  written  for  it  by  both  Eng- 
lish and  French  composers. 

The  harpsichord,  like  the  spinet,  was  on  the 
plectrum  principle.  As  pianofortes  are  made  in 
three  different  shapes,  the  grand,  the  square,  and 
the  upright,  there  were  as  many  varieties  of  the  jack 
instruments,  namely,  the  harpsichord  of  trapeze 
form,  the  oblong  and  pentangular  form,  called  the 
spinet,  or  virginal,  and  the  upright  harpsichord,  or 
clavicytherium.  The  harpsichord  was  the  most  im- 
portant keyed  instrument  used  during  the  sixteenth, 
seventeenth,  and  eighteenth  centuries,  and  it  served 
as  an  accompanying  orchestral  instrument  in  opera 
and  oratorio.  The  compositions  of  Scarlatti  were 
mostly  written  for  the  harpsichord,  and  even  some 
of  Bach's  greatest  works  were  composed  for  it. 

The  earliest  mention  of  the  harpsichord  is  un- 
der the  name  of  clavicymbal,  in  the  Rules  of  the 
Minnesinger,  by  Eberhard  Cersne,  A.D.  1404.  With 
it  occur  the  clavichord,  the  monochord,  and  other 
musical  instruments  in  use  at  that  time.  Jean  de 
Muris,  writing  in  1323,  and  enumerating  musical 
instruments,  makes  no  reference  to  either  clavicym- 
bal or  clavichord,  but  describes  the  monochord  as 
in  use  at  that  time  for  measuring  intervals.  More- 
over, there  was  no  music  wire  before  this  epoch,  the 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     237 

earliest  record  of  wire-drawing  being  1351  A.D.,  at 
Augsburg.  The  harpsichord,  being  in  the  grand- 
piano  shape,  unlike  the  spinet,  had  two,  three,  and 
sometimes  four  strings  to  a  note,  and  generally  with 
one  string  an  octave  higher  in  pitch,  more  rarely 
one  an  octave  lower,  called  the  bourdon.  The 
spinet  thus  multiplied  became  the  more  powerful 
and  important  harpsichord.  Double  keyboards 
and  stops  for  registers  showed  its  affinity,  at  least 
in  idea,  to  the  organ.  The  harpsichord  died  out 
with  the  spinet  and  clavichord  in  the  last  quarter 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  unable  to  maintain  the 
struggle  for  existence  against  the  pianoforte.  Per- 
haps the  last  harpsichord  was  one  bearing  dementi's 
name,  dated  1802,  which  was  shown  at  the  Bologna 
Exhibition.  Beethoven's  Moonlight  Sonata  was 
published  in  1802  for  harpsichord  or  pianoforte,  and 
there  is  a  record  that  Himmel  played  upon  a  harpsi- 
chord in  public,  at  Berlin,  as  late  as  1805.  All  the 
keyboard  stringed  instruments,  whatever  the  size 
and  however  the  sound  may  be  produced,  have  cer- 
tain structural  peculiarities  in  common,  and  espe- 
cially the  apparatus  for  resonance.  The  barred 
(querhols,  balkeri)  sounding-board  of  cypress  in  the 
old  Italian  spinets,  of  spruce  in  the  modern  piano, 
all  come  under  the  same  acoustic  generalization  of 
resonance  as  Strad-fiddles,  Bologna  lutes,  Andalu- 
sian  guitars. 

At  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century  there  did 
not  exist  any  instrument,  with  the  exception  of  the 
clavichord,  on  which  the  performer  could  at  will 
produce  a  soft  or  loud  tone  by  pressure  exerted 
upon  the  keys  of  the  keyboard.  The  desire  of 


238  Reminiscences 

some  musicians  of  that  period  to  combine  the  won- 
derful tone-sustaining  capacities  of  the  clavichord 
with  the  power  of  the  harpsichord  was  shared  by 
builders  of  musical  instruments  and  eminent  play- 
ers. The  dulcimer  was  the  first  instrument  which 
gave  an  impulse  in  Germany  to  the  invention  of  the 
pianoforte.  The  dulcimer,  laid  upon  a  table  or 
frame,  was  struck  by  means  of  hammers,  one  side 
of  which  was  covered  with  hard  and  the  other  with 
soft  leather,  in  order  to  produce  the  forte  and  piano 
effects.  The  tone,  harsh  in  loud  playing,  was  al- 
ways confused  on  account  of  the  absence  of  any 
damping  contrivance,  which  alone  can  prevent  the 
continuance  of  sound  when  not  required.  Pantaleon 
Hebenstreit  of  Eisleben,  became,  about  1697,  a 
virtuoso  upon  the  dulcimer,  which  he  quadrupled 
in  dimensions  and  had  constructed  as  a  double 
Hackbrett,  with  two  sounding-boards,  each  with  its 
scale  of  wire  strings  on  one  side  and  covered  cat- 
gut on  the  other  side.  With  this  powerful  chro- 
matic instrument,  demanding  herculean  force  to 
play,  Hebenstreit  travelled  to  Paris  in  1705,  where 
Louis  XIV.  christened  it  with  his  name,  "  Panta- 
leon." Kuhnau  (in  Mattheson's  Critica  Musica, 
December  8,  1717)  praises  the  instrument  and  its 
superiority  over  clavichord  and  harpsichord  in  pos- 
sessing the  properties  of  piano  and  forte.  It  was 
this,  according  to  Schroter's  account,  that  led  him 
to  ponder  over  a  keyed  instrument  to  do  the  like. 

In  Germany,  France,  and  Italy  the  celebrated 
organ-builder,  Gottfried  Silbermann,  was  formerly 
universally  considered  as  the  inventor  of  the  piano 
until  the  organist,  Christoph  Gottlieb  Schroter,  ten 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     239 

years  after  the  death  of  Silbermann,  in  1765,  claimed 
the  honor  of  said  invention  for  himself,  and  at- 
tempted to  furnish  proofs  for  his  claim  by  means  of 
drawings  and  documents.  Lately,  however,  ex- 
tracts from  Italian  and  French  archives  have  been 
published  which  for  the  first  time  accurately  reveal 
the  part  taken  by  Schroter  and  Silbermann  in  this 
invention.  These  communications,  verified  by  the 
pianos  of  that  time  still  in  existence,  necessitate  a 
complete  revolution  of  all  previous  histories  of  the 
piano.  They  are  chiefly  the  results  of  a  society  in 
Florence  which  had  resolved  to  have  a  celebration 
on  March  7,  1874,  in  commemoration  of  Cristofori, 
the  first,  and  without  doubt  independent,  inventor 
of  the  clavicymbal  with  piano  and  forte.  This 
instrument,  known  since  1711,  was  called  by  its  in- 
ventor "  pianoforte,"  which  name  it  has  retained 
ever  since  outside  of  Italy.  Cristofori,  according 
to  the  latest  researches,  was  born  May  4,  1653,  at 
Padua.  Here  he  attained  such  high  renown  as  a 
keyed-instrument  maker,  that  the  Prince  Ferdinand 
de'  Medici,  known  as  a  patron  of  arts,  and  especially 
as  a  connoisseur  of  music,  induced  him  to  settle  in 
Florence  and  enter  his  service  as  court  maker  of 
clavichords,  spinets,  and  harpsichords,  and  to  also 
serve  as  custodian  of  his  collection  of  musical  in- 
struments. In  the  year  1711,  in  a  newspaper  pub- 
lished in  Venice,  the  invention,  hitherto  considered 
impossible,  of  a  grave-cembalo  col  piano  e  forte, 
was  announced.  It  also  stated  that  the  lucky  in- 
ventor was  the  paid  and  employed  cymbalist  of  the 
Prince  of  Toscana — namely  Bartolommeo  Cristo- 
fori, and  that  he  had  already  completed  three 


240  Reminiscences 

grand  pianos  of  the  usual  size  and  quality.  It  was 
especially  mentioned  that  in  these  new  instruments 
it  depended  upon  the  strength  with  which  the  player 
touched  the  key  to  produce  a  weaker  or  stronger 
tone  with  all  its  gradations.  Many  musicians  re- 
fused to  pay  the  tribute  due  to  this  invention,  be- 
cause its  tone  was  too  weak  and  obtuse.  The  chief 
objection  made  to  the  new  instrument  was  that  one 
had  to  become  accustomed  to  the  manner  of  play- 
ing it  even  if  expert  on  the  other  keyed  instruments. 

Cristofori  solved  three  important  problems,  the 
first  of  which  was  to  counteract  the  strain  of  thicker 
strings  necessary  to  withstand  the  impact  of  the 
hammer.  The  second,  allied  to  the  first,  was  to 
compensate  for  the  weakness  caused  by  the  opening 
between  the  tuning-pin  block,  technically  "  wrest- 
plank,"  and  the  sounding-board — imperative  for  the 
hammers  to  rise  to  the  strings;  while  the  third  was 
the  mechanical  control  of  the  rebound  of  the  ham- 
mer from  the  strings — technically  "  escapement," 
— so  that  the  hammer  should  not  block  against  the 
strings  and  prevent  vibrations.  All  this  he  did, 
and  more,  for  he  invented  the  check,  or  movable 
rest,  for  the  hammer-tail,  the  simplest  expedient  to 
preserve  the  position  of  the  hammer  for  a  repeated 
blow — technically  "  repetition." 

Marius,  doubtless,  is  the  second  equally  independ- 
ent inventor  of  a  piano.  In  1716  he  presented  to 
the  Royal  Academy  in  Paris  the  designs  and  de- 
scriptions of  four  different  piano  models. 

In  1763,  organist  Christoph  Gottlieb  Schrflter,  in 
Nordhausen,  published  a  description  of  a  newly 
invented  clavier,  on  which  one  could  play  loudly  or 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     241 

softly,  according  to  the  way  the  keys  were  touched. 
He  said  that  he  was  led  to  this  invention  by  the 
pantaleon  of  the  renowned  virtuoso,  Hebenstreit, 
and  that  in  1717  he  had  attempted  to  produce  a 
keyed  instrument  whose  strings  could  be  set  in 
motion  by  means  of  beaters  or  hammers  instead  of 
the  tangents,  quills,  or  plectra  formerly  used,  and 
that  in  1721  he  submitted  two  models  to  the  court 
in  Dresden.  In  one  the  hammers  struck  the  strings 
from  above,  in  the  other  from  below;  both  were 
supplied  with  dampers  so  that  the  strings  could  be 
made  to  resound  softly  or  loudly.  The  models  met 
with  the  approval  of  the  King,  who  ordered  the  con- 
struction of  the  one  struck  by  hammers  from  below. 
The  execution  of  this  order  was  never  completed, 
and  when  Schroter  desired  to  leave  Dresden  he 
could  not  obtain  possession  of  his  models  in  spite  of 
all  his  efforts.  Schroter  furthermore  states  that, 
without  his  knowledge  and  consent,  his  invention 
became  known  in  Germany,  and  bad  imitations 
thereof  were  made  and  called  pianofortes.  Agric- 
ola  adds  the  following  to  the  history  of  the  piano : 
"  Mr.  Gottfried  Silbermann  made  at  first  two  of 
these  pianos.  The  blessed  chapelmaster,  Johann 
Sebastian  Bach,  saw  and  played  upon  one  of  them, 
and  while  he  praised  its  tone  and  even  admired  it, 
he  found  the  fault  that  in  its  high  notes  it  was  too 
weak,  and  that  it  was  too  hard  to  play.  Mr.  Sil- 
bermann heard  these  complaints  with  ill  grace,  and 
was  angry  with  Mr.  Bach  for  a  long  time.  But  his 
own  conscience  finally  told  him  that  Mr.  Bach's 
criticisms  were  correct,  and  he  decided,  it  must  be 
said  to  his  glory,  not  to  make  any  more  of  these 

16 


242  Reminiscences 

instruments,  but  to  work  hard  to  invent  something 
to  do  away  with  the  faults  mentioned  by  Mr.  Bach. 
On  this  he  worked  for  many  years,  and  when  he 
showed  one  of  these  improved  instruments  to  Mr. 
Bach,  he  received  from  him  his  utmost  approval." 

The  greatest  musicians  of  the  age — Johann  Sebas- 
tian Bach  in  1737,  and  Mozart  in  1777 — had  acknow- 
ledged the  value  of  the  invention  of  the  piano,  but 
still  a  long  time  elapsed  before  it  assumed  the  rank 
due  to  it  among  the  keyed  instruments  of  that  age. 
As  in  the  history  of  music,  so  we  can  here  plainly 
see  the  strife  of  progress  against  conservatism,  the 
resistance  of  established  rules  to  new  principles.  A 
musical  critic  in  Leipsic  writes  in  1782:  "  In  the 
harpsichord  the  heart  cannot  express  itself;  with  it, 
no  picture  can  be  completely  produced,  as  light  and 
shadow  cannot  be  expressed, — only  a  clearly  defined 
sketch  can  be  made.  It  is  adapted  either  to  bear 
or  to  carry  away  the  stream  of  music, — in  short,  to 
flow  on  with  it. "  "  The  pianoforte, ' '  he  continues, 
"  stands  higher,  especially  one  made  by  Frederici  in 
Gera,  or  Stein  in  Augsburg.  Here  the  heart  can 
express  itself,  manifest  its  manifold  feelings,  and 
exhibit  light  and  shadows.  But  it  is  deficient  in 
shadings  and  minor  attractions,  so  that  it  is  adapted 
as  an  instrument  for  concerts  and  chamber  music. 
The  clavichord,  however,  stands  highest  of  all,  and, 
although  on  account  of  its  nature  it  is  excluded 
from  the  concert-hall,  it  is  the  companion  of  the 
recluse.  Here  I  can  reproduce  the  feelings  of  my 
heart,  can  shade,  fully  express,  drive  away,  and  melt 
away  a  tone  through  all  its  swellings."  He  closes 
his  remarks  as  follows:  "  In  order  to  judge  a 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     243 

virtuoso,  one  must  listen  to  him  while  at  the  clavi- 
chord, not  at  the  pianoforte,  and  least  of  all  at  the 
harpsichord." 

The  poet  and  musician,  Christian  Friederich 
Daniel  Schubart,  thus  expresses  himself:  "The 
musical  coloring  cannot  be  executed  on  the  piano 
in  all  its  mtances,  but  the  clavichord — this  solitary, 
melancholy,  and  inexpressibly  sweet  instrument — 
if  it  is  made  by  a  master — is  preferable  to  the  harp- 
sichord and  pianoforte;  through  the  pressure  of 
the  ringer,  through  the  swinging  and  vibrating  of  the 
strings,  through  the  strong  and  soft  touch  of  the 
hand,  the  increase  and  decrease  of  tone,  the  melting 
under  the  fingers  of  the  player,  the  expiring  trill  of 
the  portamento — in  short,  all  expressions  of  feeling 
can  be  visibly  manifested."  We  see  that  long  after 
the  general  introduction  and  use  of  the  piano,  the 
clavichord  was  preferred. 

The  pianofortes  of  Johann  Andreas  Stein,  who 
died  in  1792,  in  Augsburg,  far  surpassed  those 
of  other  makers.  When  Mozart  had  become  ac- 
quainted with  these  instruments,  he  selected  them 
especially  for  his  performances,  and  thereby  brought 
them  into  public  favor  and  the  widest  circulation. 
Stein's  newly  contrived  piano-escapement  appears 
to  have  charmed  Mozart  when  in  Augsburg  in  Octo- 
ber, 1777.  In  a  letter  to  his  father  he  refers  to  the 
evenness  of  its  touch,  saying  that  "  the  action 
never  blocks,  and  never  fails  to  sound,  as  is  some- 
times the  case  with  other  pianos." 

Mozart's  concert  grand  in  \heMozarteum  at  Salz- 
burg is  a  small  five-octave  instrument  with  black 
natural  keys  and  white  sharps,  said  to  have  been 


244  Reminiscences 

made  by  Anton  Walter,  in  Vienna,  who  finally  be- 
came Mozart's  favorite  maker.  Walter's  pianos 
were  mere  copies  of  Stein. 

The  Steins  were  a  family  of  piano-makers  and 
players,  and  consisted  of  the  father,  Johann  An- 
dreas, his  two  sons,  Matthaus  Andreas,  Friedrich, 
and  a  daughter,  Maria  Anna,  known  as  Nanette, 
who  in  1794  married  Streicher,  and  was  really  the 
most  prominent  of  the  group.  Though  Streicher 
ultimately  succeeded  to  the  business,  which  had 
been  removed  from  Augsburg  to  Vienna,  his  name 
does  not  appear  for  several  years  in  connection  with 
it.  The  firm,  as  late  as  1801,  was  "  Geschwister 
Stein  "  ;  subsequently  "  Nanette  Stein  "  appears  as 
the  maker's  name  on  a  grand  piano  existing  as  late 
as  1882  in  Windsor  Castle,  the  property  of  the 
Queen  of  England. 

Nanette  Streicher  was  a  fine  pianiste  and  piano- 
builder.  She  was  a  person  of  cultivation  and  refine- 
ment, and  her  name  is  closely  connected  with  that  of 
Beethoven.  It  is  well  known  that  she  did  much  to 
help  him  in  his  domestic  arrangements,  lightened 
the  burden  of  his  housekeeping,  and  that  she  even 
looked  after  his  bodily  health.  Thayer,  in  his  work 
on  Beethoven,  says:  "  In  May,  Beethoven,  on  the 
advice  of  his  medical  men,  went  to  Baden,  whither 
he  was  followed  by  his  friend  Mrs.  Streicher,  who  re- 
mained at  Baden  for  the  summer  and  took  charge  of 
his  lodgings  and  clothes,  which  appear  to  have  been 
in  a  deplorable  state.  On  his  return  to  Vienna  the 
Streichers  continued  their  friendly  services,  procured 
for  him  two  good  servants,  and  otherwise  looked 
after  his  interests.  These  servants  remained  with 


DECORATED   CONCERT  GRAND. 
Made  by  Anton  Walter  in  Vienna,  about  1780. 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     245 

him  for  a  year  or  two,  and  this  was  probably  the 
most  comfortable  time  of  the  last  half  of  Beethoven's 
life."  Beethoven  always  showed  a  preference  for 
the  pianos  made  by  Stein  and  his  daughter  Nanette. 
Thayer  says  that  Beethoven,  in  1791,  when  residing 
at  Bonn,  always  used  a  Stein  piano,  and  it  is  claimed 
by  those  who  know  the  history  of  the  grand  made 
by  Nanette  Streicher,  and  which  forms  one  of  my 
collection,  that  it  was  furnished  by  the  lady  to  her 
friend  Beethoven  for  his  concerts,  and  that  during 
his  many  wanderings  away  from  home  Mrs.  Streicher 
kept  it  exclusively  at  the  disposal  of  the  master 
whenever  he  felt  like  using  it.  In  one  of  his  many 
letters  to  Mrs.  Streicher  Beethoven  says:  "  Perhaps 
you  do  not  know,  though  I  have  not  always  had  one 
of  your  pianos,  that  since  1809  I  have  invariably 
preferred  yours." 

On  a  theatre  program  of  May  16,  1767,  in  Lon- 
don, we  find  the  following  in  reference  to  the  early 
use  of  the  piano  in  London : 

"  End  of  Act  I.  Miss  Brickler  will  sing  a  favorite 
song  from  Judith,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Dibdin  on 
a  new  instrument  called  piano." 

A  year  later,  Johann  Christian  Bach  played  in  a 
concert  for  the  first  time  publicly  on  a  piano. 
Clementi  also  used  a  piano  in  London  in  1775. 

Although  professional  musicians  took  the  greatest 
interest  in  playing  the  pianoforte,  it  cannot  be  said 
that  the  art  of  pianoforte-playing  was  extensively 
adopted  by  the  people  at  large.  No  doubt  crowned 
heads  and  noblemen  took  some  interest  in  perform- 
ing on  this  instrument,  but  otherwise  there  were 
-very  few  people  who  owned  pianofortes.  Therefore, 


246  Reminiscences 

it  is  not  surprising  that  such  an  industry  as  the 
manufacturing  of  pianofortes,  considering  the  limited 
demand  for  them,  was  not  followed  to  any  great  ex- 
tent. The  makers  of  such  keyed  instruments  as  the 
clavichord,  harpsichord,  and  spinet  were  generally 
such  persons  as  knew  how  to  play  them,  namely 
organists,  schoolmasters,  monks  and  priests,  organ- 
builders,  lute  and  violin  players,  cabinet-makers, 
and  geniuses  of  all  kinds.  Every  player  invented 
some  scheme  for  building  an  instrument  that  suited 
his  requirements  and  tastes.  No  certain  rule  or 
scale  was  followed  in  the  construction  of  the  instru- 
ments— everything  was  left  to  the  good  judgment 
and  discretion  of  the  maker.  It  was  somewhat  of  a 
free  art,  and  even  a  fascination,  to  build  a  clavi- 
chord, a  harpsichord,  spinet,  or  even  a  pianoforte. 
It  is  well  known  that  every  player  had  to  string, 
tune,  and  regulate  his  own  instrument,  and  for 
that  reason  these  instruments  were  provided  with 
small  drawers  or  enclosures  containing  little  rolls 
of  brass  or  steel  wire,  and  in  which  could  be  always 
found  the  tuning-hammer  with  the  hook  for  turn- 
ing a  loop  and  for  tuning  and  stringing  up  the 
instrument. 

The  history  of  pianoforte-making  compares  un- 
favorably with  that  of  violin-making.  In  fact,  the 
pianoforte  first  made  its  appearance  when  the  violin 
under  such  makers  as  Stradivarius  and  others  had 
attained  its  highest  perfection.  Later  on,  when  in- 
strumental music  became  more  popular,  and  its 
effects  were  more  keenly  felt,  and  the  people  at 
large  became  interested  in  the  playing  of  the  piano- 
forte, a  greater  demand  for  this  instrument  was 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     247 

created,  and  orders  came  in  to  these  self-taught 
makers. 

How  dealers  in  pianofortes  to-day  must  envy 
the  pianoforte  -  makers  of  the  good  days  of  old 
when  they  consider  that  in  those  days  the  would-be 
purchaser  had  to  look  up  the  maker  and  court  his 
pleasure! 

He  was  compelled  to  sign  a  written  contract 
whose  terms  sound  droll.  The  time  limited  for  the 
construction  was  from  six  to  twelve  months.  The 
payments  were  generally  so  much  cash,  so  many 
casks  of  wine,  a  certain  amount  of  corn,  wheat,  and 
potatoes.  Very  often  geese,  chickens,  and  turkeys 
constituted  some  of  the  items  of  payment,  and 
even  a  few  cords  of  firewood  might  make  up  the 
balance.  When  the  pianoforte  was  completed  and 
ready  to  be  delivered  at  the  house  of  the  impatient 
purchaser  a  general  festival  took  place;  the  maker 
was  the  hero  of  the  hour,  and  accompanied  the 
piano,  followed  by  his  craftsmen  and  apprentices,  if 
he  had  any. 

The  wagon  which  conveyed  the  precious  burden 
was  gaily  decorated  with  wreaths  and  flowers,  the 
horses  were  magnificently  decked  out,  a  band  of 
music  headed  the  procession,  and  after  the  wagon 
followed  the  proud  maker,  borne  on  the  shoulders  of 
his  assistants,  musicians,  organists,  schoolmasters, 
and  dignitaries  marching  in  the  rear.  At  the  place 
of  destination  the  procession  was  received  with 
greetings  of  welcome  and  shouts  of  joy.  The  pastor 
of  the  place  said  a  prayer  and  blessed  the  new  instru- 
ment and  its  maker.  Then  the  mayor  or  the  burgo- 
master of  the  place  delivered  an  address  dwelling 


248  Reminiscences 

at  great  length  upon  the  importance  of  the 
event  to  the  whole  community,  and  stating,  per- 
haps, that  the  coming  of  such  a  new  musical  instru- 
ment would  raise  their  place  in  the  eyes  of  the 
surrounding  country.  Then  followed  speeches  by 
the  schoolmaster,  doctor,  druggist,  and  other  digni- 
taries, and  songs  by  the  Mannerchor  of  the  place. 
Amidst  the  strains  of  the  band  the  pianoforte  was 
moved  to  its  new  home.  A  banquet  and  a  dance 
closed  the  happy  occasion. 

This  is  a  fair  description  of  the  pianoforte  industry 
of  Germany  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  cent- 
ury and  the  first  part  of  the  nineteenth,  though  it 
must  be  added  that  there  then  existed  a  few  piano- 
forte-makers who  had  already  systematized  their 
business,  and  who  managed  small  factories.  As  the 
makers  were  compelled  to  manufacture  every  article 
used  in  the  instrument,  and  in  default  of  machinery 
had  to  make  everything  by  hand,  it  took  a  long  time 
to  turn  out  an  instrument. 

The  then  prevailing  polyphonic  school  was  not 
sufficient  to  satisfy  the  requirements  of  the  player 
of  the  newly  invented  pianoforte.  A  new  style  was 
to  be  cultivated,  one  in  conformity  with  the  new 
instrument,  possessing  greater  power  than  the  clavi- 
chord, besides  having  dynamic  qualities  so  different 
from  the  latter,  in  addition  to  its  greatest  capacity, 
namely,  that  of  enabling  the  performer  to  play  softly 
and  loudly  according  to  his  will.  The  monophonic 
style  was  to  be  cultivated ;  a  melodic  form  was  de- 
manded by  the  people  in  their  steady  advancement 
with  the  new  instrument.  Its  apostle  and  repre- 
sentative was  found  in  C.  P.  Emanuel  Bach,  one  of 


Brief  History  of  the  Pianoforte     249 

Sebastian  Bach's  sons.  His  style  was  elegant  and 
pleasing.  He  was  followed  by  Joseph  Haydn,  who, 
endowed  with  a  musical  nature,  emphasized  the  new 
style  of  pianoforte  playing.  Owing  to  the  fact  that 
improvements  were  continually  added  to  the  piano- 
forte, in  course  of  time  the  instrument  reached  a 
higher  state  of  perfection.  The  pianofortes  of 
Johann  Andreas  Stein,  of  Augsburg,  Germany, 
were  of  great  influence  on  the  previously  prevailing 
style  of  pianoforte  playing,  and  the  sonatas  and 
concertos  of  Mozart,  composed  for  this  instrument, 
clearly  exhibit  the  great  advance  of  pianoforte  build- 
ing. Towards  tfie  end  of  the  eighteenth  century  the 
Vienna  school  of  piano-building  first  became  promi- 
nent through  the  son  and  daughter  of  said  Stein, 
who  had  moved  their  workship  from  Augsburg  to 
Vienna,  where  Nanette  Stein  became  a  piano- 
builder  in  company  with  Streicher,  her  husband. 
The  improvement  of  the  pianoforte  goes  hand  in 
hand  with  the  compositions  of  the  great  Beethoven, 
who  at  this  time  embellished  his  new  forms  of  con- 
certos and  sonatas  with  matchless  beauty  from  the 
inspirations  of  his  great  genius.  His  compositions 
surmounted  all  the  then  existing  obstacles,  and  with 
the  wings  of  an  eagle  he  spread  his  music  over  the 
universe.  In  1827,  the  mighty  genius  of  Beethoven 
rested  from  its  labors  forever.  His  grand  sym- 
phonies, his  overtures,  an  opera — Fidelia,  a  wealth 
of  trios,  quartets,  quintets,  sextets,  and  septets  — 
remain  an  everlasting  monument  of  this  great  man. 
His  pianoforte  concertos  and  sonatas  will  ever  testify 
to  his  love  and  devotion  for  that  instrument. 

The  master  who  has  reached  the  highest  pinnacle 


250  Reminiscences 

of  pianoforte  composition  beckons  the  pianoforte- 
maker  to  march  on  to  his  mission,  to  improve  his 
instrument,  so  that  when  the  artist  touches  its  keys, 
the  hammers  may  touch  the  strings  with  tenderness, 
and  the  divine  spirit  of  the  immortal  composer 
breathe  forth,  and  that  the  harp  of  the  nineteenth 
century  with  its  lyric  strains  may  inspire  all  mankind 
with  its  heavenly  harmonies. 

Just  as  music  is  the  youngest  and  noblest  of  the 
fine  arts,  the  pianoforte  is  also  the  latest  of  the 
grand  family  of  musical  instruments ;  and  as  the  love 
for  music  progresses,  the  art  of  pianoforte-building 
will  steadily  move  forward,  and  its  onward  march 
will  aid  mankind  in  acquiring  a  higher,  deeper,  and 
still  more  glorious  knowledge  of  the  noblest  and 
greatest  of  all  arts — the  divine  art  of  music. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

Steinertone. 

HAVING  thus  strengthened  my  conviction  by  my 
researches  and  lectures,  I  was  led  to  think  of 
some  mechanism  that  could  be  connected  with  a 
keyboard,  by  which  I  could  intone  a  string  by 
means  of  a  hammer.  The  tone-production  of  the 
clavichord,  I  knew,  was  obtained  by  a  little  bit  of 
brass  fastened  to  the  back  of  the  key,  and  which, 
when  the  key  was  pressed  down,  struck  the  string, 
producing  a  tone.  This  tangent  remained  stationary 
on  the  string,  forming  a  bridge,  as  long  as  the  key 
was  held  down,  and  as  the  string  was  loosely  drawn 
over  the  sounding-board  and  made  of  thin  brass 
wire,  it  was  subject  to  a  tremulous  vibration,  ob- 
tained by  a  movement  of  the  finger  like  that  in 
which  the  violinist  indulges  when  pressing  down 
the  string  upon  the  finger-board  of  his  violin.  This 
tone-production  I  found  to  be  of  the  most  intimate 
and  soul-inspiring  nature,  capable  of  expressing  the 
deepest  emotions  inherent  in  the  human  heart,  but 
too  soft,  too  tender,  too  ethereal,  and  capable  of 
appealing  only  to  the  select  few. 

The  spinet  and  the  harpsichord  have  the  same 
251 


252  Reminiscences 

sounding-board  as  is  found  in  the  clavichord,  but 
with  a  string  of  greater  tension.  It  is  plucked  by 
means  of  a  goose-quill  fastened  to  a  jack  and  rest- 
ing upon  the  end  of  a  key,  and  produces  an  entirely 
different  tone-color,  which,  while  it  is  louder,  more 
brilliant  in  timbre  than  the  clavichord,  it  is  devoid 
of  the  expression  of  that  sweet-voiced  little  instru- 
ment. 

The  third  tone-production  consists  in  connecting 
a  mechanism  with  the  key  that  hurls  a  hammer 
towards  a  tightly  drawn  string;  but  it  also  retains 
a  sounding-board  similar  to  the  clavichord.  This 
tone-color  differs  from  that  of  the  quill  by  being 
able  to  give  two  strokes  which  vary  in  their  dynam- 
ics— viz.,  soft  and  loud,  and  it  is  called  the  hammer- 
clavier,  or  the  piano  e  forte. 

All  tone-productions  through  keyboards  during 
the  last  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  have  been 
obtained  by  means  of  hammers,  and  it  was  the  ham- 
mer that  I  finally  chose  to  utilize  as  a  means  of  tone- 
production,  and  which  I  determined  should  serve 
me  in  enlarging  its  limitations.  I  therefore  con- 
structed a  mechanism  which  resembles  greatly  the 
natural  formation  of  the  human  arm  and  hand, 
which  could  influence  the  hammer  and  control  its 
strokes  when  meeting  the  string,  the  same  as  the 
violinist  holds  and  controls  his  bow,  and  through 
this  vibratory  motion  touches  the  string  and  draws 
out  tones  that  are  closely  related  to  those  obtained 
by  means  of  the  tangent  of  the  clavichord. 

When  I  had  developed  this  mechanism  to  a  cer- 
tain state  of  perfection,  I  discovered  that  the  tonal 
capacity  or  the  vibrating  power  of  a  sounding-board, 


O     Jj  .g 

1  If 


o   -g  * 


•  Steinertone  253 

which  usually  serves  as  the  tone  resonator  to  the 
musical  instrument  called  a  pianoforte,  and  which 
contains  a  number  of  tightly  drawn  steel  strings,  was 
exceedingly  pregnant  with  vibrating  power,  and 
far  superior  in  this  direction  to  the  sounding-board  of 
guitars  and  mandolins,  and  especially  to  the  curved- 
belly  sounding-board  found  in  the  various  instru- 
ments that  belong  to  the  violin  tribe.  This  discovery 
still  further  convinced  me  that  my  search  was  in 
the  right  direction  for  finding  rich  tones,  if  only 
properly  produced.  I  also  found  that  the  blows 
given  to  the  strings  of  a  pianoforte,  on  account  of 
its  crude  mechanism,  are  too  violent.  They  lack 
elasticity,  and  possess  brute  force.  These  blows 
differ  greatly  from  the  sensitiveness  of  the  sound- 
ing-board, and  are  therefore  antagonistic  to  it,  and 
in  consequence  create  noises  and  discordant  and 
unrelated  overtones.  The  pianoforte  is  essentially 
an  instrument  of  percussion,  and  is  naturally  subject 
to  the  impact  of  a  hammer  stroke  towards  the  string, 
and  this  in  itself  diminishes  its  musical  value. 

I  was  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  very  elements 
which  were  contained  in  the  primitive  invention  of 
Cristofori  in  1710  are  yet  indisputably  represented 
in  the  mechanism  that  controls  the  hammer  which 
deals  out  the  blows  upon  the  string,  and  that  no 
one  has  ever  dared  to  change  these  dynamics  ob- 
tained by  such  a  mechanism.  Being  therefore  sur- 
rounded by  it  and  by  the  influences  which  were 
bearing  upon  me  as  to  another  tone-production, 
which  is  also  subject  to  the  workings  of  a  mechan- 
ism that  controls  a  hammer  in  striking  a  string,  I 
was  bold  enough  to  discard  the  old  Cristofori  system 


254  Reminiscences 

in  toto,  to  strike  out  in  a  new  direction  which  I 
hoped  would  bring  out  the  hidden  powers  of  the 
sounding-board  in  all  their  wealth  of  color. 

This  mechanism  consists  of  a  system  of  leverages, 
and  is  quite  free  from  all  the  accessories  of  springs, 
as  found  in  the  old  action.  I  was  also  guided  by 
the  natural  movements  of  the  wrist,  hand,  and 
fingers,  which  move  simply  by  will-power  and  with- 
out any  obstruction.  Having  thus  refined  my 
hammer  stroke,  the  inevitable  thump  which  is  so 
disagreeable  to  the  ear,  and  therefore  so  objection- 
able to  the  musical  mind,  disappeared,  and  a  more 
delicate  rhythm,  which  brought  the  musical  work 
closer  to  such  rhythms  as  lie  in  the  sphere  of  other 
instruments,  was  developed ;  while  by  the  softest 
impact  of  the  hammer  upon  the  string  a  most  en- 
chanting pianissimo  could  be  obtained. 

The  introduction  of  the  hammer-release  by  Cris- 
tofori,  which  has  been  piously  and  reverently  re- 
tained as  a  landmark,  and  which  it  has  ever  been 
looked  upon  by  the  pianoforte-builders  as  a  heresy 
to  remove,  I  took  upon  myself  not  only  to  remove 
but  to  cremate,  and  thus  obtained  an  authoritative 
control  over  my  hammer.  In  thus  gaining  different 
tone-colors  by  means  of  different  strokes  and  an  un- 
broken control  over  the  hammer  through  my  new 
mechanism,  I  found  that  that  instrument  which  Cris- 
tofori  was  pleased  to  call  "  piano  e  forte  "  was  trans- 
formed into  another  instrument,  which  possessed 
not  only  the  inexpressible  sweetness  of  the  clavi- 
chord and  the  rhythmical  tone-production  of  the 
hammer-clavier  or  pianoforte,  but  a  musical  instru- 
ment that,  when  compared  with  those  instruments 


Steinertone  255 

that  live  in  the  domain  of  the  orchestra,  stands 
unique  as  to  its  usefulness  and  imitative  power  in 
giving  tone-colorings  which  strikingly  resemble  the 
'cello,  clarionet,  French  horn,  bassoon,  and  many 
others,  when  its  keyboard  serves  the  intelligent  and 
talented  musician  as  a  means  of  expression. 

To  call  the  instrument  containing  my  new  method 
of  tone-production  still  a  pianoforte  would  hardly  be 
proper,  and  in  order  to  distinguish  it  from  the  latter 
instrument  I  have  called  it  the  Steinertone.  The 
introduction  of  the  Steinertone  to  the  musical  world 
should  form  a  new  era  in  the  building  of  a  keyed 
instrument  which  has  steel  strings;  and  when  I  look 
back  upon  the  many  compositions  that  were  given 
to  the  early  family  of  keyed  instruments,  such  as 
clavichord,  harpsichord,  hammer-clavier,  and  piano- 
forte, and  glance  upon  the  usefulness  they  possessed 
in  the  realm  of  music  and  in  the  lives  of  musicians, 
the  power  they  wielded  upon  the  human  mind  and 
upon  the  emotions  which  control  the  thought  of  us 
all,  I  feel  that  the  cultivation  of  that  instrument 
has  not  been  in  vain ;  that  through  its  influence 
society  has  been  refined  and  elevated,  and  that  no 
branch  of  the  fine  arts  has  entered  closer  into  the 
home  circle  than  have  the  keyed  instruments,  on  ac- 
count of  their  ingenious  construction,  for  every  man, 
woman,  and  child  can  form  his  or  her  own  orchestra. 

For  this  reason,  I  feel  that  the  feeble  efforts  which 
I  have  made  must  add  some  degree  of  happiness  to 
the  many  who  liberally  contributed  to  my  support 
when  I  furnished  them  with  the  pianoforte.  In  fact, 
I  felt  under  obligation  to  the  musical  world  to  give 
them  freely  of  that  which  a  Higher  Power  may  have 


256  Reminiscences 

ordained  to  impart  to  them  through  me ;  to  add  to 
the  happiness  of  humanity  and  to  increase  the  love 
and  devotion  that  makes  the  musican  everywhere 
such  a  happy  being;  to  aid  him  in  a  limited  degree, 
so  as  to  enable  him  to  express  his  thoughts,  his  joys, 
his  griefs,  and  his  sorrows  just  as  truthfully,  and 
more  free  from  physical  exertion  than  upon  the  in- 
strument that  has  been  so  faithful  to  him,  though 
not  faultless. 

If  the  claims  I  make  and  the  responses  from  the 
musical  world  are  in  harmony  with  my  ideal,  I  can 
safely  say  that  I  have  lived  a  happy  and  useful  life, 
and  one  that  must  teach  that  life  is  only  sweet  when 
it  is  devoted  to  the  service  of  others. 


fln  flDemoriam 

"  We  are  born  for  a  higher  destiny  than  that  of  earth  ;  there  is  a 
realm  where  the  rainbow  never  fades,  where  the  stars  will  be  spread 
before  us  like  islands  that  slumber  on  the  ocean,  and  where  the 
beings  that  pass  before  us  like  shadows  will  stay  in  our  presence 
forever." 

WE  are  taught  that  we  must  graciously  accept 
the  adversities  that  meet  us  in  the  paths  of 
life  when  everything  should  point  towards  happi- 
ness. It  cannot  be  denied  that  much  self-denial 
must  be  practised  when  we  are  called  upon  to  face 
the  inevitable  amidst  our  joys  and  successes.  This 
has  come  home  to  me,  as  for  seventeen  years  I  have 
toiled  along  the  rugged  path  of  life,  meeting  on  the 
road  much  that  offered  resistance  to  my  endeavor 
to  reach  such  ideals  as  I  looked  upon  as  worthy  of 
possessing.  I  have  therefore  to  mention  that  a 
time  came  in  my  life  when  the  good  fairy  could 
not  touch  with  her  magic  wand  and  transform  what 
lay  before  me  into  happiness  and  good  fortune.  I 
refer  to  the  early  germs  of  a  malady  which  stole  over 
my  beloved  wife,  and  silently  and  stealthily,  but 
nevertheless  effectively,  implanted  in  her  constitu- 
tion the  primary  symptoms  of  a  disease  known  as 
paralysis  agitans,  a  disease  that  is  inexplicable  to 

257 


258  Reminiscences 

the  physician  in  its  mysterious  nature,  a  disease 
that  defies  scientific  research  and  its  treatment. 

When  this  misfortune  came  to  our  happy  home- 
circle  and  planted  its  fangs  in  my  wife,  much  of  that 
sunshine  that  had  always  given  us  comfort,  cheer, 
and  warmth  became  shadowed.  In  this  hour  of 
distress,  however,  the  sweet  nature  of  my  unfortu- 
nate wife  brightened,  and  she,  by  her  patient  and 
gentle  disposition,  helped  to  dispel  the  cloud  across 
the  sun.  With  a  silent  and  cheerful  acceptance  of 
her  fate,  she  fought  the  disease  through  the  slow 
stages  of  development,  until  at  the  end  of  seventeen 
years  of  intense  suffering,  without  one  murmur,  she 
yielded  to  the  insidious  nature  of  the  dread  malady. 
My  wife  and  the  affectionate  mother  of  nine  children 
died  January  15,  1899.  The  loss  of  Mrs.  Steinert 
brought  grief  and  sorrow  to  our  home,  and  all  the 
world  seemed  to  share  our  mourning  as  we  laid  her 
away.  The  sweet  home-circle  was  broken ;  and  our 
hearts,  which  were  sad  and  heavy,  bled  afresh  when, 
on  February  loth  of  the  same  year,  Edward,  in  the 
flower  of  his  manhood — for  he  was  only  thirty-four 
— went  to  join  his  mother. 

To  the  taking  away  of  these  beloved  ones,  I  in- 
scribe this  In  Memoriam,  while  I  shed  a  tear  to  their 
memory. 


MRS.   CAROLINE    DREYFUSS   STEINtRT- 


INDEX 


Abbey,  23 

Abo,  66,  67,  68 

Abt,  Franz,  30 

Academy  of  Music,  100 

Accordion,  119,  127 

Adam,  228 

Adirondacks,  95 

Admiralty  Square,  70 

Adonis,  68 

Adonis,  104 

^Eolian  Harp,  224 

Ages,  Middle,  235 

Agnus  Dei,  204,  207 

Agricola,  241 

Aischmann,  36,  45,  69,  77,  78 

Albany,  84,  87,  205,  221 

Albert,  211,  225,  226,  227,  228 

Alexander,    149,   154,   178,  179, 

189 

Algesheim,  231 
Alsace-Lorraine,  80 
America,  80,  94,  147,  153,  184, 

185,   187,   192,  195,  205,  211, 

221 

American,  80 
Ames.  141 
Andalusian,  237 
Anderson,  W.  Dexter,  156 
Andover,  211 
Anschiitz,  Carl,  153 
Antwerp,  222 
Apollo,  12,  6l,  222 
Arab,  147 
Arditi,  L.,  99 


Armstrong  Company,  170 

Army,  72 

Athenaeum,  175 

Athens,  Georgia,  141,  143,  147, 

148,  150,  151,  167 
Atlanta,  Georgia,  142 
Auber,  9,   165  ;    La   Muette  de 

Portici,  9  ;  Crown  Diamonds, 

163 
Augsburg,  32,  237,  242,  243,  244, 

249 

Ausspitzer,  Doctor  von,  22 1 
Austria,  Emperor  of,  213 

Babetta,  9,  81,  192 

Bach,  C.  P.  Emanuel,  248 

Bach,  Johann  Christian,  245 

Bach,  Johann  Sebastian,  26,  197, 
198,  210,  213,  220,  230,  231, 
233,  234,  241,  242,  245,  249 

Bad-Ems,  n 

Baden,  244 

Bagby,  223 

Bailey,  Colonel,  134,  135,  139 

Baltimore,  118 

Bamberg,  32 

Banjo,  119,  127 

Barnum,  P.  T.,  229 

Barons,  House  of,  173,  174,  186, 
189 

Earth,  142 

Basle,  25 

Bassoon,  119,  159,  255 

Bavaria,  I,  14,  31,  162 


259 


260 


Index 


Bavarian,  2,  7,  17 

Bayer,  195 

Bebung,  234 

Beecher,  Henry  Ward,  162 

Beest,  Martin,  222 

Beethoven,  L.  von,  7,  26,  49, 51, 
90,  96,  107,  213,  234,  237,  244, 
245,  249.  Fidelia,  249.  The 
.<4t&/at<&,49,  51,90,92,96,  107, 
108,  113.  Moonlight  Sonata, 
237  ;  2cL  Symphony  in  D,  26  ; 
gth  Symphony,  26 

Belgian,  220 

Bellamy,  139,  140 

Bellini,  Vincenzo,  213.  La 
Norma,  100.  La  Sonnambula, 
116,  117 

Bembo,  Pietro,  232 

Benedictine,  23 

Berg,  118-119,  121,  123 

Bergmann,  Carl,  153 

Be'riot,  de,  26 

Berlin,  21,  28,  31,  32,  33,  34,  35, 
102,  127,  237 

Berlioz,  Hector,  26 

Berne,  25 

Bernina,  24 

Bethany,  154 

Bienne,  25 

Bingham's  School,  115 

Bird,  William,  231 

Birmingham,  Conn.,  166 

Blitz,  104,  105,  106,  108,  114 

Bohemia,  n 

Bohemian  Girl,  117 

Bologna,  237 

Bonn,  245 

Borgia,  Lucrezia,  133 

Boston,  87,  175,  179,  189,  211 

Bourdon,  237 

Breese,  223 

Bremen,  191 

Bretzf  elder,  153,  154,  169 

Brewster's  Hall,  114,   175 

Brickler,  245 

Bridgeport,  114,  175 

Britain,  Great,  213,  221 

Britannica,  Encyclopedia,  223 

Brooklyn,  60 

Brown  University,  211 

Brown's  Hotel,  98 


Brussels,  215 

Buchanan,  145 

Buckley,  Fred,    103,    104,    105, 

"3 

Bull  Run,  157 
Bull's  Warerooms,  156 
Bundfrei,  234 
Bunnell,  G.  B.,  229 
Burg-Haslach,  120 
Burney,  Dr.,  235 
Buxtehude,  Dietrich,  231 

Cantor,  6,  55 

Capuze,  33,  34 

Carolina,  North,  150 

Carolina,  South,  149 

Castle  Garden,  99,  100 

Catholic,  4,  8,  32,  59,  61 

Centreville,  154 

Cersne,  Eberhard,  236 

Chambers,  32 

Chapman,  Charles,  156,  157 

Ghavli,  39,  40,  42,  82 

Cheshire,  155,  159 

Chicago,  221,  223 

Chickering,  140 

Chopin,  F.  F.,  184,  213 

C-sharp-minor  nocturne,  185 

Christ-child,  57 

Chur,  23,  25 

Church,  4,  5,  8,  17,  19,  31,  32, 
44,  59,  60,  61,  62,  63,  70, 
118,  119,  138,  141,  142,  144, 
146,  147,  148,  154,  155,  192, 
193,  199,  207,  231 

Churwalden,  25 

Cincinnati,  117,   186,   187 

City  of  Elms,  114,  157,  213 

Clarionet,    27,     157,     165,    182, 

IQ7,  255 

Clavichord,  6,  55,  189,  191,  195, 
196,  197,  199,  200,  210,  220, 
223,  225,  227,  230,  231,  232, 
233,  234,  236,  237,  238,  242, 
243,  246,  251,  252,  254 

Clavicinist,  231 

Clavicymbal,  217,  226,  235,  236, 

239 

Clavicytherium,  236 
Clavier,    6,  210,  214,  218,  232, 

240 


Index 


261 


Cleraenti,  M.,  143,  237,  245 
Cleveland,  Rev.  Dr.,  154 
Cobb,  Howell,  145 
Cobb,  Lucy,  145,  146,  147 
Cobb,  Thomas,  145,  146 
Coblenz,   9,  10,  14,   25,  78,    79, 

81,  96,  99,  116,  195 
Cologne,  32,  193 
Columbia  University,  223 
Confederacy,  148 
Connecticut,  102,  114,  173,  179, 

220,  221 
Cornet,  127 
Couperin,  231 
Crailsheim,  234 
Creator,  43,  59 
Cremona,  66 

Cristofori,  B.,  239,  240,  253,  254 
Critica  Musica,  238 
Crown,  17 
Curpark,  II 
Cutler  Building,  156 
Cymbalist,  239 
Czar,  78 

Danzig,  35 

Dazian,  15,  16,  17,  127,  145,  195, 

196 

Delaware,  151 
Denmark,  189 
Derpt,  47 
De  Witt,  213 
Dibdin,  245 
Dickinson,  Anna,  162 
Diehn,  Herr,  217,  218,  220 
Die  Wacht  am  Rliein,  183 
Dom,  193 

Donaueschingen,  145 
Donizetti,  213 
Don  Juan,  122 
Dorpat,  47 
Dresden,  241 
Dreyfuss,  Caroline,  80,  115,  116, 

117,  118 
Dulcimer,  238 
Duna,  45 

Easter,  75 
Edward,  186,  258 
Eisleben,  238 
Eldorado,  67,  118 


Eldridge  House,  95,  98 
Elena,  232 

Elizabeth,  Queen,  231 
Elysian,  6l 
Embach,  47 
Emmenthal,  25 
Emperor,  76 
Ems,  ii,  12,  13,  14,  19 
Engadine,  23,  24,  25,  79 
England,  230,  236,  244 
English,  62,  82,  83,  84,  85,  236 
Episcopal,    141,    142,   144,   146, 

147,  148 

Erb,  Professor,  191 
Erbach,  Christian,  231 
Ernst,  26 
Europe,  n,  26,   61,  70,  80,  82, 

121,  187,  212,  213 

F.,  Dr.,  106,  114 
Faber,  Daniel,  234 
Farrell,  122,  123 
Feldmann,  114,  115,  116 
Fischer,   Peter,    162,    163,    164, 

165,  228 
Florence,  239 
Florida,  134,  141 
Flute,  7,   13,  27,  68,    119,    127, 

157,  165,  169,  182,  195,  214 
Foster,  131,  132,  134 
France,  78,  121,   191,  213,  230, 

238 

Franklin  College,  146 
Frauenhofer,  47 
Frederici,  C.  E.,  242 
Frederick,  179 

Frederick  the  Great,  213,  214 
Frederick  William  IV.,  13 
French,  62,  72,   115,   123,    155, 

182,  197,  236,  239,  255 
Friedheim,  Arthur,  211 
Fritchie,  113 

Froberger,  Johann  J.,  231 
FUrstenburg,  Prince,  145 

Gall,  St.,  23,  25 
Callus,  Saint-,  23 
Gambrinus,  159 
Gebunden,  234 
Gemara,  41 
Gemiinder,  George,  100 


262 


Index 


Georgia,  118,  124,  127,  141,  142, 

143,  H5 

Gera,  242 

German,  21,  34,  37,  41,  50,  56, 
62,  78,  83,  87,  89,  92,  106,  112, 
128,  134,  141,  153,  154,  159, 
165,  170,  177,  183,  186 

Germany,  i,  14,  25,  26,  31,  36, 
48,  77,  87,  99,  142,  191,  210, 
213,  219,  231,  238,  241,  248 

Gesellschaft  der  Musik  Freunde, 
213,  215 

Gibson,  126,  127 

Gilpin,  John,  138 

God,  59,  66,  1 80,  204 

Goethe,  49,  52 

Gough,  John  B.,  162,   163,    165, 

174 

Government,  36,  42 

Gradener,  Hermann,  67 

Gradener,  Karl,  66 

Gray,  Thomas,  3 

Greek,  59,  62 

Greenwich,  82 

Grisi,  26,  76,  99,  100,  roi,  102 

Grove,  Sir  George,  222 

Guitar,  7,  91,  92,   119,  127,  129, 

131,  237,  253 
Gungl',  Joseph,  27,  76 

Hackbrett,  238 

Halle,  231 

Hamburg,  67,  215,  219,  220,  231 

Hammer-clavier,   189,  200,  210, 

252,  254 

Handel,  G.  F.,  197,  220,  230,  231 
Hannah,  136,  137,  138 
Hanover,  10 
Hansel,  125,  126,  127 
Harpsichord,  189,  190,  200,  210, 

215,  216,  219,  220,  221,  230, 

231,  235,  236,  237,  238,  239, 

243,  246,  247 
Hartford,  Conn.,  175 
Harvard  University,    211,    224, 

225 

Hasler,  Hans  Leo,  231 
Hass,  J.  A.,  215,  219,  221 
Haversham,  Niles,  119 
Haydn,    Joseph,    26,    161,    165, 

197,  213,  249 


Hebenstreit,  Pantaleon,  238,  241 

Hebrew,  38,  41,  185,  186 

Heidelberg,  191 

Heine,  52 

Heineman,  99 

Heloise,  147,  177,  229 

Helsingfors,  64,  65,  66,  67 

Henning,  27 

Henry,  124,  177,  178,  186,  211 

Herald,  133 

Herder,  J.  G.  von,  21 

Himmel,  F.  H.,  237 

Hintz,  142,  144,  146,   147 

Hipkins,  J.  S.,  223 

Horn,  French,  27,  119,  120,  157, 

165,  182,  197,  255 
Horton,  Rev.  Dr.,  155 
Hull,  148 

Hummel,  J.  N.,  213 
Hyperion  Theatre,  162,  229 

Imperial,  72 

Ingersoll,  Ex-Governor,  175 

Ingersoll,  Justine,  175 

Irish,  23,  128,  182 

Irish  Washerwoman,  183 

Italian,  43,  237,  239 

Italianski,  76 

Italy,  213,  230,  231,  232,  238,  239 

Jackson,  John  D.,  168 

Jacoby,  32 

Japanese,  219 

Jehovah,  41 

Jesus,  Lover  of  My  Soul,  183 

Jew,  37,  38 

Jewish,  42 

Jones,  131 

Joseph,  St.,  58 

Jost,  25,  79 

Julier  Pass,  23 

Kaiser,  183 

Kalliwoda,  145 

Kant,  21 

Kapellmeister,  66,  67,  145 

Katrina,  218,  219 

Keil,  66 

Kellerman,  14 

Kerl,  Johann  K.,  231 

King,  101,  241 


Index 


263 


Kleinschrod,  17,  18,  19,  20,  21, 

22 

Klopstock,  F.  T.,  21 
Koch,  233 
Konigsberg,  35 
Krehbiel,  H.  E.,  2io,  21 1 
Kreutzer,  Conradin,  45,  183 

Das  Nachtlager  in  Granada, 
45  ;  Die   Kapelle,    183  ;  Es 
ist  der  Tag  des  flerrn,  183 
Kuhnau,  Johann,  238 
Kuhrer  Restaurant,  221 

L.,  Mrs.,  82,  99,  101,  102,  104 

Ladymeyer,  101,  102,  104 

La  Grange,  Ga.,  145 

Laimbeck,  13 

Lambert,  Professor,  211 

Langenfeld,  100 

Larned,  Professor  W.  A.,  175 

Lamed,  Mrs.,  175 

Leipsic,  213,  242 

Lennert,  142,  143,  144,  146,  147 

Lenox,  Mass.,  91,  92 

Lenzen,  87,  88,  89,  91,  92,  93 

Lessing,  G.  E.,  49 

Liberal,  33 

Liebig's  Orchestra,  27 

Lille,  France,  79 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  152 

Lind,  Jenny,  12,  13,  26 

Lind,   Jenny,  80 

Liszt,  Franz,  26 

Livonia,  Russia,  44 

London,  England,  222,  223,  245 

Louis,  6,  14,  78,  79,  80,  195 

Louis  I.,  18 

Louis  XIV.,  18,  238 

Llibeck,  231 

Lucerne,  25 

Luna,  68 

Lute,  237,  246 

McCormick,  221 
Madler,  Professor,  47 
Maintenon,  Mme.  de,  18 
Mandolin,  253 
Mannerchor,  183,  225,  245 
Marble,  Edwin,  162 
Marchand,  Louis,  231 


Marco,  San,  252 

Maretzek,  Max,  99 

Mario,  76,  99,  100,  101,  102 

Marius,  240 

Marseillaise,  91 

Marsyas,  222 

Maryland,  118 

Massachusetts,  87,  225 

Mathushek,  170,  171,  172 

Mattheson,  J.,  220,  238 

Maurer,  76 

Mediaeval,  244 

Medici,    Prince   Ferdinand    de, 

239 

Meeker,  Mrs.,  167,  168 
Mein  Adagio  mit  den  GlockfJien, 

I O2 

Meinhard,  120 
Melodeon,  87,  154 
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy,  26,  213 
Meriden,  Conn.,  158 
Metropolitan  Museum,  228 
Metternich,     Princess     Pauline 

von,  212 

Meyer,  Mrs.,  167 
Meyerbeer,  Giacomo,  76,  213 

Robert  Le  Diable,  76 
Mikado,  226 
Miller,  Miss,  115 
Mishna,  41 
Moebus,  162,  163 
Mohawk  Valley,  95 
Molken  Market,  32 
Mollie,  191 
Monocordo,  232,  236 
Montez,  Lola,  18 
Monticello,  Florida,  138 
Moritz,  St.,  23,  24 
Morpheus,  228 
Mozart,  Wolfgang,  26,  119,  120, 

122,   123,  143,   166,   197,  213, 

233,    242,  243,   249 ;  Twelfth 

Mass,  166  ;  Zauberfiote,  234 
Mozarteiim,  234,  243 
Muller  Family,  48,  50,  52 
Mttller,  Herr,  217,  221 
MUller,   Marie,  49,   50,    51,   52, 

53,  54,  55,  56,  80,  96,  107,  108 
Munich,  18,  47,  82,  106,  231 
Muris,  Jean  de,  236 
Music  Hall,  158,  162,  163,  164 


264 


Index 


Nachtwdchter,  3 

Naugatuck,  154 

Neptune,  81 

Netherlands,  104 

Nevski  Prospekt,  70,  75 

Newark,  N.  J.,  116 

New  Haven,   Conn.,    102,    114, 

115,  153,   154,  158,   160,   168, 
170,   173,  174,  175,   178,  179, 
220,  221,  223,  228,  229 

New  jersey,  116 
New  Orleans,  La.,  146 
New  York  City,  N.  Y.,  60,  68, 
80,   81,  84,  93,  99,   114,   115, 

116,  117,  118,   123,   127,   132, 
134,   139,   146,  151,   152,   153, 
167,  168,   169,   170,   174,  175, 

211,    223 

Nicholas  I.,  71 
Nordhausen,  240 
Norma,  100 
Nuremberg,  222,  231 

Obligate,  13,  91 

Oboe,  119,  157,  182,  197,  229 

Odessa,  44 

Old  Dog  Tray,  91 

Old  Folks  at  Home,  91 

Opera,  76 

Orchestra,  3,  10,  27,  46,  76,  99, 
100,  104,  106,  113,  114,  117, 
119,  153,  157,  161,  163,  164, 
165,  166,  175,  177,  181,  228, 
255 

Organ,  8,  44,  62,  118,  142,  146, 
147,  148,  207,  231,  237,  238 

Orleans,  79 

Orloff,  Count,  70 

Orpheus,  182 

Pachelbel,  Johann,  231 
Paderewski,  Ignace,  91,  184 
Padre,  8 
Padua,  239 
Paganini,  26 

Palatine  Bridge,  N.  Y.,  94 
Parabosco,  G.,  230 
Paris,  79,  127,  238,  240 
Patrick,  St.,  Church,  166 
Pauline,  27,  28,   30,  31,  32,  34, 
49»  99,  102 


Pavilion  Hotel,  95,  224 

Peabody,  Doctor,  221 

Pentateuch,  185 

Perkins,  132 

Pernau,  64 

Persiani,  Fanny,  76 

Peter,  St.,  44 

Petersburg,  St.,  44,  47,   69,   71, 

73,  74,  75,  77,  127 

Phillips,  Wendell,  162 

Pianoforte,  6,  7,  12,  28,  46,  48, 
49,  51,  85,  86,  89,  91,  96,  97, 
98,  104,  105,  107,  108,  in, 
114,  115,  117,  118,  119,  122, 
125,  126,  133,  134,  138,  139, 
142,  147,  150,  156,  159,  160, 
166,  167,  169  170,  171,  172, 
173,  174,  176,  177,  179,  180, 
183,  184,  185,  186,  187,  188, 

189,    196,   197,  210,  211,  215, 

2l6,    22O.   225,  226,  227,  23O, 

233,    234,  235,  236,  237,  238, 

239,    240,   241,  242,  243,  244, 

245,    246,  247,  248,  249,  250, 
253,  254,   255 

Pierpont,  Cornelius,  155 

Pittsfield,  Mass.,  87,  90 

Planta,  La,  24   . 

Pleskov,  55,  60,  64 

Plessur,  23 

Pliesner's  Orchestra,  27 

Poitiers,  79 

Polish,  37 

Ponte,  221 

Pontresina,  23,  25 

Pope,  42 

Porter,  Alexander,  189 

Prater,  67,  214,  215 

Pratorius,  Hieronymus,  231 

Prayer-houses,  60,  61 

Presbyterian,  144,  146,^  147,  148 

Priest,  42,  56,  58,  59 

Protestant,  32 

Providence,  R.  I.,  27 

Psaltery,  235 

Quartian,  Padre,  8,  190 

R.,  Deacon,  159,  160 
Rabbi.  41,  42,  44 


Index 


265 


Rameau,  Jean  Paul,  231 
"  Ramrod,"  138,  139 
Rathhaus,  4 
Rau,  84-87 
Regensburg,  32 
Reise-clavier,  214 
Rembrandt,  103 
Resignation,  5 
Reval,  48,  50,  5.5,  64 
Rheims,  79 
Rhine,  9,  23 
Richmond,  Va.,  130 
Richter,  Jean  Paul,  21 
Richter,  Oscar,  36,  38,   39,  42, 

69,  72,  73,  77 
Riga,  44,  45,  46,  47 
Robb,  Mrs.,  146 
Roman,  61 

Rothschild,  Baron  von,  213 
Rotunda,  214,  215 
Ruckers,  Hans,  the  elder,  222 
Rudolph,  229. 

Rules  of  the  Minnesinger,  236 
Russell  School,  155 
Russia,    25,   27,  35,  36,  48,  57, 

63,  74,  77,  81,  96 

Russian,  36,  39,  58,  60,  61,  62, 

64,  69,  72,  75,  76,  77,  78 


Sali,  24 

Salzburg,  123,  243 

Sam,  136 

Samaden,  24 

Samovar,  59 

Saratoga  Springs,  N.  Y.,  94 

Savannah,   Ga.,    118,    119,    120, 

123,  124,  130 
Saxony, 14 
Scaliger,  J.  C.,  235 
Scarlatti,    Domenico,    197,   230, 

231,  236 

Schaffhausen,  25 
Scheinfeld,   i,  2,  3.  4,   5,  6,   14, 

16,  17,  18,  20,  25,  55,  67,   78, 

120,  166,   189,   191,   192,   194, 

195,  197,  198,  200,  205,  206, 

209,  210 
Scheinlein,  100 
Schiller,  Johann  C.   F.  von,  49, 

52 


Schirmer,  118 

Schlafhauser,  206,  207,  208,  209, 

210 

Schnodsenbach,  200 
Schroter,  C.  G.,  238,  239,  240, 

241 

Schubart,  F.  D.,  243 
Schubert,  Carl,  77 
Schubert,  Franz,  26 
Schumann,  R.,  26 
Schtttz,  7,  8,  16 
Schwarzenberg    Castle,   5,   190, 

194,  207,  209 

Schwarzenberg,  Prince  von,  5 
Semiramide,  IOI 
Shall   We  Gather  at  the  River, 

183 
Sharon  Springs,   N.  Y.,  93,  94, 

97,  98,  99,  loo,  223 
Short,  116 
Silbermann,  Gottfried,  238,  239, 

241 

Sils,  24 

Silvaplana,  23,  24 
Simpson,  115 
Smith  College,  211 
Smithsonian  Institute,  212 
Socrates,  21 
Sol,  68 

Sonnambula,  La,  116,  117 
Sontag,  Henrietta,  12,  26 
Sousa,  J.  P.,  183 
Spanish  Fandango,  91 
Speyer,  32 
Spinet,  218,  221,  223,  230,  235, 

236,  237,  239,  246,  251 
Spinetti,  Giovanni,  235,  236 
Spohr,  26 
Springfield,  Mass.,  211,  225,  226, 

227 
Stadt  Musikus,  3,  7,  9,   14,  16, 

145,  195,  197 
Stark,  128,  129 
Stein,  Friedrich,  244 
Stein,  Johann  A.,  242,  244,  245, 

249 

Stein,  Matthaus,  244 
Stein,  Nanette,  244,  249 
Steinert,  Caroline  Dreyfuss,  131, 

135,   153,   155,  166,   174,  191, 

258 


266 


Steinert,  Moritz,  7,  9,  13,  15, 
73,  134,  136,  146,  161,  163, 
177,  192,  195,  208,  212,  214, 
219,  221 

Steinway,  139 

Stephens,  A.  H.,  148 

Steuben  Hall,  153 

Stevens,  Mrs.,  145 

Stigelli,  26 

Streicher,  244,  245,  249 

T.,  Professor,  224 

Tallahassee,  Florida,  141 

Tallis,  Thomas,  231 

Talmedge,  William,  147,  150 

Talmud,  41 

Teutonic,  184 

The   Beautiful    Blue    Danube, 

183 

Thomas,  J.  R.,  115 
Thomas,  St.,  Church,  155,  156 
Thomas,  Theodore,  100 
Thomasville,  Ga.,  124,  125,  127, 

128,  129,   134,   135,   137,   139- 

140 

Tilsit,  35 

Titian  coloring,  50 
Tontine  Hotel,  114  - 
Tora,  41 

Toscana,  Prince  of,  239 
Touraine  Hotel,  189 
Tours,  79 
Treat,  154 
Tribune,  N.  Y.,  2IO 
Trinkgeld,  2IO 
Trombone,  157,  165 
Trumpet,  157,  165 
Turkish,  24,  78 
Tyrol,  12 
Tyrolian,  12 
Tyson,  127,  129,  133 


Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,  80 

Union,  Grand  Army  of  the,  152 

Union  Station,  141 

United  States,  80,  120,  221,  223 


Vassar  College,  211 
Vaterland,  96 


Vatican,  41 

Venetian,  235 

Venice,  232,  239 

Venus,  51,  61 

Victoria,  Queen,  13 

Vienna,   54,   67,   212,  213,   215, 

2l6,   217,    22O,    221,    222,    223, 

235, 244, 249 

Vietch,  Mrs.,  141,  142,  144 

Viewig,  Carl,  119 

Viola,  156,  157,  196 

Violin,  7,  27,  100,  103,  105,  no, 
119,  127,  154,  156,  162,  163, 
165,  177,  196,  201,  202,  203, 
204,  211,  246,  250,  253 

Violoncello,  14,  15,  16,  27,  46, 
48,  49,  65,  66,  67,  88,  89,  90, 

91,     92,     ICt,     IO2,     IO3,     IO4, 

105,  108,  no,  in,  115,  119, 
127,  141,  142,  146,  148,  149, 
156,  157,  163,  167,  168,  177, 
i96.  255 

Virgin,  the,  57,  58,  60,  191,  196, 
211 

Virginal  Book,  231,  236 

Virginia,  130 

Virginia  Reel,  98 

Vodki,  59,  64 


W.,  Mrs.,  109,  in 
Wagner,  Richard,  7,  229 
Waldorf-Astoria,  223 
Walter,  Anton,  244 
Washington,  D.  C.,  146,  151,  212 
Wehner,  Carl,  156 
Weisse  J?oss,  Das,  4,  206,  207, 

209 
When  the  Swallows  Homeward 

Fly,  99 

Whitaker  .Square,  118 
Wieland,  C.  M.,  21 
Willaert,  Adrian,  230,  232 
William,  186 
William  IV.,  13 
Wilson,  149 
Windsor  Castle,  244 
Wingfield,  General,  140 
Wirthshaus,  207,  208 
Wolf,  109,  112 
Wurm,  Doctor,  145,  146,  147 


Index 


267 


Yale  University,   156,  157,   175, 

211,  223 
Yankee,  149 
Yankee  Doodle,  91 
York  Square,  115,  116,  154 


Zarlino,  Gioseffo,  230 
Zauberjlote,  234 
Zug,  25 

Zum  Ross,  192,  194 
Zurich,  25 


Date  Due 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 


LI 


jr 


